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formative

   Also found in: Medical, Legal, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.01 sec.
for·ma·tive  (fôrm-tv)
adj.
1. Forming or capable of forming.
2.
a. Susceptible to transformation by growth and development.
b. Biology Capable of producing new cells or tissue.
3. Of or relating to formation, growth, or development: the formative stages of a plot.
4. Linguistics Relating to the formation or inflection of words.
n. Grammar
A derivational or inflectional affix.

forma·tive·ly adv.

formative [ˈfɔːmətɪv]
adj
1. of or relating to formation, development, or growth formative years
2. shaping; moulding a formative experience
3. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Biology) (of tissues and cells in certain parts of an organism) capable of growth and differentiation
4. (Linguistics) functioning in the formation of derived, inflected, or compound words
n
1. (Linguistics) an inflectional or derivational affix
2. (Linguistics / Grammar) (in generative grammar) any of the minimum units of a sentence that have syntactic function
formatively  adv
formativeness  n
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.formative - minimal language unit that has a syntactic (or morphological) function
language unit, linguistic unit - one of the natural units into which linguistic messages can be analyzed
Adj.1.formative - capable of forming new cells and tissues; "a formative zone in developing bone"
biological science, biology - the science that studies living organisms
constructive - constructing or tending to construct or improve or promote development; "constructive criticism"; "a constructive attitude"; "a constructive philosophy"; "constructive permission"
2.formative - forming or capable of forming or molding or fashioning; "a formative influence"; "a formative experience"
constructive - constructing or tending to construct or improve or promote development; "constructive criticism"; "a constructive attitude"; "a constructive philosophy"; "constructive permission"

formative
adjective
1. developmental, sensitive, susceptible, impressionable, malleable, pliant, mouldable She spent her formative years growing up in London.
Translations
formative [ˈfɔːmətɪv]
A. ADJ
1. [influence etc] → formativo; [years] → de formación
2. (Gram) → formativo
B. N (Gram) → formativo m
formative [ˈfɔːrmətɪv] adj [influence] → formateur/trice
formative years → années d'un enfant, d'un adolescent)fig)fpl d'apprentissage > >, années d'un enfant, d'un adolescent)fig)fpl de formation > >
formative
adj
influence, experienceprägend; her formative yearsdie charakterbildenden Jahre in ihrem Leben; the most formative experience of his lifedie Erfahrung, die sein Leben entscheidend geprägt hat; a formative periodeine Zeit der Entwicklung
(Gram) formative elementWortbildungselement nt
n (Gram) → Wortbildungselement nt, → Formativ nt
formative [ˈfɔːmətɪv] adjformativo/a
formative years → anni mpl formativi
formative [ˈfɔːmətɪv] adjformativo/a
formative years → anni mpl formativi


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I dare to say that a not large percentage of youths, in the formative stage of fifteen to seventeen, could have survived the stress of heavy drinking that I survived between my fifteenth and seventeenth years; that a not large percentage of men could have punished the alcohol I have punished in my manhood years and lived to tell the tale.
The rebuffs that he had met at the hands of men, both black and white, had had their effect upon his mind while yet it was in a formative state, and easily influenced.
Sir James Chettam's mind was not fruitful in devices, but his growing anxiety to "act on Brooke," once brought close to his constant belief in Dorothea's capacity for influence, became formative, and issued in a little plan; namely, to plead Celia's indisposition as a reason for fetching Dorothea by herself to the Hall, and to leave her at the Grange with the carriage on the way, after making her fully aware of the situation concerning the management of the estate.
 
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