Standard Lemma guide

formate

noun · verb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈfɔː(ɹ)meɪt/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • /fɔː(ɹ)ˈmeɪt/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Any salt or ester of formic acid.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: chemistry, natural-sciences, organic-chemistry, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To assemble flying aircraft into formation; to fly in formation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: aeronautics, aerospace, business, engineering, natural-sciences, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From formic + -ate (“salt or ester”).

Back-formation from formation on the basis of -ate (verb-forming suffix).

Across languages

Translations

7 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: formiat — salt or ester of formic acid
  • Czech: mravenčan — salt or ester of formic acid
  • Finnish: formiaatti — salt or ester of formic acid
  • French: formiate — salt or ester of formic acid
  • Japanese: 蟻酸塩 (gisan'en) — salt or ester of formic acid
  • Polish: mrówczan — salt or ester of formic acid
  • Swedish: formiat — salt or ester of formic acid