3 syllables: for, ma, tion. Stress on ma.
fawr-MAY-shuhn
/fɔˈɹmeɪʃən/
formation is pronounced fawr-MAY-shuhn (/fɔˈɹmeɪʃən/). It has three syllables (for-ma-tion), with the stress on "ma". Formation refers to the act of forming or the arrangement of parts or people into a specific pattern or structure. It also denotes a group of individuals or objects organized for a purpose. In broader use, it can describe the process, pattern, or manner in which something takes shape, develops, or is organized.
Formation refers to the act of forming or the arrangement of parts or people into a specific pattern or structure. It also denotes a group of individuals or objects organized for a purpose. In broader use, it can describe the process, pattern, or manner in which something takes shape, develops, or is organized.
"The formation of a new political alliance required careful negotiation."
"Military units moved in precise formation across the parade ground."
"Geologists study rock formation to understand the Earth's history."
You pronounce it as for-MAY-shn̩, with primary stress on the second syllable. The first syllable sounds like /fɔːr/ (or /fɔr/ in non-rhotic accents), the second like /ˈmeɪ/ (as in 'may'), and the final syllable is a syllabic /-tʃən/ or /-ʃn̩/ depending on the speaker. IPA: US /fɔːrˈmeɪʃn̩/, UK /fɔːˈmeɪʃn̩/, AU /fɔːˈmeɪʃn̩/.
Common errors include stressing the first syllable as FOR-may-tion instead of for-MAY-tion, and blending the -tion into a quick 'shn' sound without a clear /ʃ/ plus syllabic n. Another mistake is mispronouncing the middle /eɪ/ as a short /e/ sound. Correction: put primary stress on the second syllable, clearly articulate /ˈmeɪ/ with an open front unrounded vowel, and end with /ʃn̩/ or /ʃən/ rather than a hard /n/.
US and UK share /forˈmeɪʃn̩/, but US speakers may produce a rhotic /r/ in the first syllable (for-), while UK rhoticity is weaker; many UK speakers connect the /r/ less prominently or drop it before consonants. Australian English typically has similar /ɔː/ in the first syllable with a non-rhotic tendency and clear /eɪ/ in the stressed syllable. Overall, the /ˈmeɪ/ nucleus remains stable; the final /ʃn̩/ or /ʃən/ is common across all three, with slight vowel coloring on the first syllable.
The difficulty lies in the two adjacent high-tension vowels and the final consonant cluster: the /ɔːr/ or /ɔː/ onset followed by a stressed /ˈmeɪ/ and a compact /ʃn̩/ ending. Maintaining clear syllabic /n̩/ or a light /ən/ after /ʃ/ requires precise tongue-tip contact and a relaxed jaw to avoid blending into a vague /n/ or /t/.
Is the 't' in 'formation' fully released or alveolar with a light terminal stop? In careful speech you’ll hear a subtle syllabic nasal /n̩/ after /ʃ/; in connected speech some speakers reduce to /ˈfɔːˈmeɪʃn/ or even /-mʃn̩/ in fast speech. The recommended approach: ensure the /ʃ/ is clean and the /n̩/ remains syllabic to preserve the word’s rhythm.
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Formation comes from Old French formacion, formed from Latin formatio, from coalescing of forma meaning ‘form, shape.’ The Latin root forma denotes a mold or figure, while the suffix -tio (-tion in English) marks a noun of action or result. The term entered Middle English with senses tied to shaping or forming in a physical or figurative sense. Over centuries, its usage broadened from tangible shaping—such as forming clay or metal—to include abstract processes like the formation of ideas, organizations, or natural structures (geology, meteorology). The notion of arranging elements into a methodical pattern or system remains central to its meaning. The first known uses in English trace to medieval scholastic and legal contexts where forming agreements or constructs was common, evolving through the Renaissance as sciences and organized systems proliferated. In modern usage, formation encompasses a wide spectrum from military formations to cloud formations, indicating both process and arrangement.
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Words that rhyme with "formation"
-ion sounds
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