format

F4O1R1M3A1T1
UK/ˈfɔː(ɹ).mæt/US/ˈfɔːɹ.mæt/

noun

The layout of a publication or document.

“The radio station changed the format of its evening program.”

Similar
reformatinitialiseinitializeformattingdata formatdata formattingarrange
OriginFrench format ← German Format ← New Latin liber →
Very commonScrabble 11
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

nounformat (plural formats)

plural formats

  1. The layout of a publication or document.

    The older manuscripts had been written in a much larger format than that found convenient for university work.

    1896, George Haven Putnam, Books and Their Makers During the Middle Ages
  2. broadlyThe form of presentation of something.
  3. broadcastingThe type of programming that a radio station broadcasts; such as a certain genre of music, news, sports, talk, etc.

    The radio station changed the format of its evening program.

  4. computingA file type.
verbformat (third-person singular simple present formats, present participle formatting, simple past and past participle formatted)

present singular third person formats · participle present formatting · participle past formatted · past formatted

  1. To create or edit the layout of a document.
  2. Change a document so it will fit onto a different type of page.

    Synonyms: reformat

  3. computingTo prepare a mass storage medium for initial use, erasing any existing data in the process.

    I lost weeks of work when I inadvertently formatted my hard drive.

    Synonyms: initialise

Synonyms & antonyms

verbChange a document so it will fit onto a different type of page.

Similar
reformat

verbTo prepare a mass storage medium for initial use, erasing any existing data in the process.

Similar
initialise
Similar
initialize

More synonyms by meaning

nounthe organization of information according to preset specifications (usually for computer processing)

Similar
formattingdata formatdata formatting
Broader
informationinfo

verbset (printed matter) into a specific format

Similar
arrange
Broader
change

verbdivide (a disk) into marked sectors so that it may store data

Similar
initializeinitialise
Broader
dividesplitsplit up
Also see
arrangecompositionconfigurationconstitutionformattinginitializelayoutstructure

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. New Latinliber
  2. GermanFormat
  3. Frenchformat
  4. Englishformat

Via French format and German Format, from New Latin liber fōrmātus (“book fashioned”), from fōrmō (“to shape, fashion”).

More words from French, German, New Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian формат, формат
  • формат (format)layout of a document
  • формат (format)computing: file type
  • форматирам (formatiram)create or edit the layout of a document
  • форматирам (formatiram)computing: prepare a mass storage medium for initial use
Catalan format, format
  • formatlayout of a document
  • formatform of presentation
  • formatcomputing: file type
  • formatarcreate or edit the layout of a document
  • formatarchange a document so it will fit onto a different type of page
  • formatarcomputing: prepare a mass storage medium for initial use
Chinese Mandarin 格式, 開本 /开本
  • 格式 (géshì)layout of a document
  • 開本 /开本 (kāiběn)layout of a document
  • 格式 (géshì)computing: file type
  • 格式化 (géshìhuà)computing: prepare a mass storage medium for initial use
Czech formát, formát
  • formátform of presentation
  • formátcomputing: file type
  • formátovatcomputing: prepare a mass storage medium for initial use
  • naformátovatcomputing: prepare a mass storage medium for initial use
Dutch lay-out, formaat
  • lay-outlayout of a document
  • formaatlayout of a document
  • formaatform of presentation
  • formatform of presentation
  • vormform of presentation
  • bestandstypecomputing: file type
  • bestandsformaatcomputing: file type
  • lay-outencreate or edit the layout of a document
  • ontwerpencreate or edit the layout of a document
  • aanpassenchange a document so it will fit onto a different type of page
  • formatterencomputing: prepare a mass storage medium for initial use
Esperanto formato, aranĝo
  • formatolayout of a document
  • aranĝolayout of a document
  • formatocomputing: file type
Finnish muoto, formaatti
  • muotolayout of a document
  • formaattilayout of a document
  • esitysmuotoform of presentation
  • muotoform of presentation
  • formaattiform of presentation
  • ohjelmaformaattiform of presentation
  • tietomuotocomputing: file type
  • tallennusmuotocomputing: file type
  • tiedostomuotocomputing: file type
  • formaatticomputing: file type
  • muotoillacreate or edit the layout of a document
  • formatoidachange a document so it will fit onto a different type of page
  • alustaacomputing: prepare a mass storage medium for initial use
  • formatoidacomputing: prepare a mass storage medium for initial use
French format, format
  • formatlayout of a document
  • formatform of presentation
  • formatcomputing: file type
  • formatercomputing: prepare a mass storage medium for initial use
German Format, Struktur
  • Formatlayout of a document
  • Strukturform of presentation
  • Formatform of presentation
  • Formatcomputing: file type
  • formatierencomputing: prepare a mass storage medium for initial use
Greek διαμόρφωση
  • διαμόρφωση (diamórfosi)computing: prepare a mass storage medium for initial use
Hungarian formáz, megformáz
  • formázcreate or edit the layout of a document
  • megformázcreate or edit the layout of a document
  • átszerkesztchange a document so it will fit onto a different type of page
  • átformázchange a document so it will fit onto a different type of page
  • formattálcomputing: prepare a mass storage medium for initial use
  • formázcomputing: prepare a mass storage medium for initial use
  • megformázcomputing: prepare a mass storage medium for initial use
Icelandic lögun, form
  • lögunlayout of a document
  • formlayout of a document
  • sniðlayout of a document
  • lögunform of presentation
  • formform of presentation
  • sniðform of presentation
  • forsniðcomputing: file type
  • forsníðacomputing: prepare a mass storage medium for initial use
  • straujacomputing: prepare a mass storage medium for initial use
  • formattacomputing: prepare a mass storage medium for initial use
Italian formato, format
  • formatolayout of a document
  • formatcomputing: file type
  • formattarecomputing: prepare a mass storage medium for initial use
Japanese 書式, フォーマット
  • 書式 (shoshiki)layout of a document
  • フォーマット (fōmatto)layout of a document
  • 形式 (keishiki)computing: file type
  • フォーマット (fōmatto)computing: file type
  • 初期化する (shokika suru)computing: prepare a mass storage medium for initial use
  • フォーマットする (fōmatto suru)computing: prepare a mass storage medium for initial use
Korean 포맷
  • 포맷 (pomaet)layout of a document
Māori hōputu, takoto
  • hōputulayout of a document
  • takotolayout of a document
  • takotoform of presentation
  • hōputuform of presentation
  • hōputucomputing: file type
  • hōputucreate or edit the layout of a document
  • whakahōputucreate or edit the layout of a document
  • whakahōputucomputing: prepare a mass storage medium for initial use
  • takaritecomputing: prepare a mass storage medium for initial use
Polish układ, format
  • układlayout of a document
  • formatlayout of a document
  • formatowaćcreate or edit the layout of a document
  • formatowaćcomputing: prepare a mass storage medium for initial use
  • sformatowaćcomputing: prepare a mass storage medium for initial use
Portuguese formato, formato
  • formatolayout of a document
  • formatoform of presentation
  • formatocomputing: file type
  • formatarcreate or edit the layout of a document
  • formatarcomputing: prepare a mass storage medium for initial use
Punjabi ਖਾਕਾ ਢਾਂਚਾ
  • ਖਾਕਾ ਢਾਂਚਾ (khākā)layout of a document
Romanian format, format
  • formatlayout of a document
  • formatcomputing: file type
  • formatacomputing: prepare a mass storage medium for initial use
Russian форма́т, структу́ра
  • форма́т (formát)layout of a document
  • структу́ра (struktúra)form of presentation
  • форма́т (formát)form of presentation
  • форма́т (formát)computing: file type
  • формати́ровать (formatírovatʹ)create or edit the layout of a document
  • формати́ровать (formatírovatʹ)computing: prepare a mass storage medium for initial use
Spanish formato, formato
  • formatolayout of a document
  • formatoform of presentation
  • formatocomputing: file type
  • formatearcreate or edit the layout of a document
  • formatearcomputing: prepare a mass storage medium for initial use
Swedish format, format
  • formatlayout of a document
  • formatcomputing: file type
  • filformatcomputing: file type
  • formateracreate or edit the layout of a document
  • formaterachange a document so it will fit onto a different type of page
  • formateracomputing: prepare a mass storage medium for initial use
Ukrainian форматува́ти, відформато́вувати
  • форматува́ти (formatuváty)create or edit the layout of a document
  • відформато́вувати (vidformatóvuvaty)create or edit the layout of a document
  • відформатува́ти (vidformatuváty)create or edit the layout of a document
  • форматува́ти (formatuváty)computing: prepare a mass storage medium for initial use
  • відформато́вувати (vidformatóvuvaty)computing: prepare a mass storage medium for initial use
  • відформатува́ти (vidformatuváty)computing: prepare a mass storage medium for initial use
Vietnamese khổ (sách, giấy, bìa), định dạng
  • khổ (sách, giấy, bìa)layout of a document
  • định dạngcomputing: file type
  • dạng thứccomputing: file type
  • kiểucomputing: file type
  • thiết kếcreate or edit the layout of a document
  • sắp xếp lạichange a document so it will fit onto a different type of page
Welsh trefnu
  • trefnucomputing: prepare a mass storage medium for initial use
Cite this entry
APA

format. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/format

MLA

“format.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/format. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “format,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/format.

Source: format on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.