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formative

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formative


  3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Formative  \Form"a*tive\,  n.  (Gram.) 
  a  That  which  serves  merely  to  give  form  and  is  no  part 
  of  the  radical,  as  the  prefix  or  the  termination  of  a 
  word 
  b  A  word  formed  in  accordance  with  some  rule  or  usage, 
  as  from  a  root. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Formative  \Form"a*tive\,  a.  [Cf.  F.  formatif.] 
  1.  Giving  form  having  the  power  of  giving  form  plastic;  as 
  the  formative  arts. 
 
  The  meanest  plant  can  not  be  raised  without  seed,  by 
  any  formative  residing  in  the  soil.  --Bentley. 
 
  2.  (Gram.)  Serving  to  form  derivative;  not  radical;  as  a 
  termination  merely  formative. 
 
  3.  (Biol.)  Capable  of  growth  and  development;  germinal;  as 
  living  or  formative  matter. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  formative 
  adj  1:  relating  to  or  characterized  by  formative  effects  or 
  formation;  "the  formative  arts" 
  2:  susceptible  to  alteration  by  development  and  experience; 
  "formative  years" 
  3:  beginning  to  develop;  "inchoative  stages"  [syn:  {inchoative}] 
  4:  (biology)  capable  of  forming  new  cells  and  tissues;  "a 
  formative  zone  in  developing  bone" 
  5:  forming  or  capable  of  forming  or  molding;  "a  formative 
  influence";  "a  formative  experience"  [syn:  {shaping}] 
  n  :  minimal  language  unit  that  has  a  syntactic  (or 
  morphological)  function 




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