"-form" meaning in English

See -form in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Suffix

Forms: -iform [alternative]
Etymology: From Latin -fōrmis (“having the form of”), from fōrma (“a form, contour, figure, shape, appearance, looks”). Etymology templates: {{etymon|en|:der|la:-fōrmis|id=shape}} [Appendix:Glossary#derived_terms|Derived]] from", "terms" : [ { "children" : [ { "terms" : [ { "children" : [ ], "lang_name" : "Latin", "term" : "fōrma", "status" : "missing", "lang" : "la" } ], "keyword_label" : "From", "keyword" : "from" } ], "lang_name" : "Latin", "term" : "-fōrmis", "status" : "ok", "lang" : "la" } ], "keyword" : "derived" } ], "status" : "ok", "lang_name" : "English", "term" : "-form", "lang" : "en" }" data-id="shape" data-lang="en" data-title="-form" id="English:_shape">, {{der|en|la|-fōrmis|t=having the form of}} Latin -fōrmis (“having the form of”) Head templates: {{head|en|suffix|cat2=|cat3=|cat4=|head=|id=}} -form, {{en-suffix}} -form
  1. Having the shape or form of; looking like. Tags: morpheme Synonyms (looking like): quasi-, para-, -oid, -esque, -ish, -ly, -some, -y Synonyms (looking like; forms adjectives from nouns only): -like Synonyms (looking like; restricted to casual registers): -ass Related terms: -iformes
    Sense id: en--form-en-suffix-en:shape_or_form Categories (other): English entries referencing missing etymons, English entries with etymology texts, English entries with etymon, English entries with incorrect language header, Pages using catfix, Pages using etymon with no ID, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Pages with etymon Disambiguation of English entries referencing missing etymons: 90 10 Disambiguation of English entries with etymology texts: 91 9 Disambiguation of English entries with etymon: 94 6 Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 91 9 Disambiguation of Pages using catfix: 94 6 Disambiguation of Pages using etymon with no ID: 92 8 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 97 3 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 97 3 Disambiguation of Pages with etymon: 93 7
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Etymology number: 1

Suffix

Etymology: From formic, from Latin formīca (“ant”). Etymology templates: {{ety|en|formic|id=formic acid|nodot=1|text=+|tree=1}} From formic, {{der|en|la|formīca|t=ant}} Latin formīca (“ant”) Head templates: {{head|en|suffix|cat2=|cat3=|cat4=|head=|id=}} -form, {{en-suffix}} -form
  1. Related to formic acid in some way. Tags: morpheme
    Sense id: en--form-en-suffix-en:formic_acid
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Etymology number: 2

Alternative forms

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  "etymology_templates": [
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      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":der",
        "3": "la:-fōrmis",
        "id": "shape"
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      "expansion": "[Appendix:Glossary#derived_terms|Derived]] from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"fōrma\", \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"-fōrmis\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"-form\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-id=\"shape\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"-form\" id=\"English:_shape\">",
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      "args": {
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        "2": "la",
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        "t": "having the form of"
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      "expansion": "Latin -fōrmis (“having the form of”)",
      "name": "der"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Latin -fōrmis (“having the form of”), from fōrma (“a form, contour, figure, shape, appearance, looks”).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "-iform",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "suffix",
        "cat2": "",
        "cat3": "",
        "cat4": "",
        "head": "",
        "id": ""
      },
      "expansion": "-form",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "-form",
      "name": "en-suffix"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "suffix",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "90 10",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries referencing missing etymons",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "91 9",
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          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
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          "_dis": "94 6",
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          "parents": [],
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        },
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          "_dis": "94 6",
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          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "92 8",
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          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "97 3",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "97 3",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "93 7",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with etymon",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "vermiform (“shaped like a worm”)"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Having the shape or form of; looking like."
      ],
      "id": "en--form-en-suffix-en:shape_or_form",
      "related": [
        {
          "word": "-iformes"
        }
      ],
      "senseid": [
        "en:shape or form"
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "sense": "looking like",
          "word": "quasi-"
        },
        {
          "sense": "looking like",
          "word": "para-"
        },
        {
          "sense": "looking like",
          "word": "-oid"
        },
        {
          "sense": "looking like",
          "word": "-esque"
        },
        {
          "sense": "looking like",
          "word": "-ish"
        },
        {
          "sense": "looking like",
          "word": "-ly"
        },
        {
          "sense": "looking like",
          "word": "-some"
        },
        {
          "sense": "looking like",
          "word": "-y"
        },
        {
          "sense": "looking like; restricted to casual registers",
          "word": "-ass"
        },
        {
          "sense": "looking like; forms adjectives from nouns only",
          "word": "-like"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "morpheme"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "-form"
}

{
  "etymology_number": "2",
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "formic",
        "id": "formic acid",
        "nodot": "1",
        "text": "+",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "From formic",
      "name": "ety"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "formīca",
        "t": "ant"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin formīca (“ant”)",
      "name": "der"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From formic, from Latin formīca (“ant”).",
  "head_templates": [
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      "args": {
        "1": "en",
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        "cat2": "",
        "cat3": "",
        "cat4": "",
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      },
      "expansion": "-form",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "-form",
      "name": "en-suffix"
    }
  ],
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  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "suffix",
  "senses": [
    {
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "chloroform"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Related to formic acid in some way."
      ],
      "id": "en--form-en-suffix-en:formic_acid",
      "links": [
        [
          "formic acid",
          "formic acid"
        ]
      ],
      "senseid": [
        "en:formic acid"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "morpheme"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "-form"
}
{
  "categories": [
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    "English entries with etymology texts",
    "English entries with etymon",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English suffixes",
    "English terms derived from Ancient Greek",
    "English terms derived from Latin",
    "Pages using catfix",
    "Pages using etymon with no ID",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Pages with etymon"
  ],
  "etymology_number": "1",
  "etymology_templates": [
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      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":der",
        "3": "la:-fōrmis",
        "id": "shape"
      },
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        "2": "la",
        "3": "-fōrmis",
        "t": "having the form of"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin -fōrmis (“having the form of”)",
      "name": "der"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Latin -fōrmis (“having the form of”), from fōrma (“a form, contour, figure, shape, appearance, looks”).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "-iform",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
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        "cat2": "",
        "cat3": "",
        "cat4": "",
        "head": "",
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      },
      "expansion": "-form",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "-form",
      "name": "en-suffix"
    }
  ],
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  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "suffix",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "-iformes"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "vermiform (“shaped like a worm”)"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Having the shape or form of; looking like."
      ],
      "senseid": [
        "en:shape or form"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "morpheme"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "sense": "looking like",
      "word": "quasi-"
    },
    {
      "sense": "looking like",
      "word": "para-"
    },
    {
      "sense": "looking like",
      "word": "-oid"
    },
    {
      "sense": "looking like",
      "word": "-esque"
    },
    {
      "sense": "looking like",
      "word": "-ish"
    },
    {
      "sense": "looking like",
      "word": "-ly"
    },
    {
      "sense": "looking like",
      "word": "-some"
    },
    {
      "sense": "looking like",
      "word": "-y"
    },
    {
      "sense": "looking like; restricted to casual registers",
      "word": "-ass"
    },
    {
      "sense": "looking like; forms adjectives from nouns only",
      "word": "-like"
    }
  ],
  "word": "-form"
}

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    "English entries with etymology texts",
    "English entries with etymon",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English suffixes",
    "English terms derived from Latin",
    "Pages using catfix",
    "Pages using etymon with no ID",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Pages with etymon"
  ],
  "etymology_number": "2",
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
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        "2": "formic",
        "id": "formic acid",
        "nodot": "1",
        "text": "+",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "From formic",
      "name": "ety"
    },
    {
      "args": {
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        "2": "la",
        "3": "formīca",
        "t": "ant"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin formīca (“ant”)",
      "name": "der"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From formic, from Latin formīca (“ant”).",
  "head_templates": [
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      "args": {
        "1": "en",
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        "cat2": "",
        "cat3": "",
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      },
      "expansion": "-form",
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      "args": {},
      "expansion": "-form",
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    }
  ],
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  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "suffix",
  "senses": [
    {
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "chloroform"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Related to formic acid in some way."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "formic acid",
          "formic acid"
        ]
      ],
      "senseid": [
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      ],
      "tags": [
        "morpheme"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "-form"
}

Download raw JSONL data for -form meaning in English (3.7kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2026-07-09 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2026-07-06 using wiktextract (e62056b and e7887d5). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.