Associations to the word «Formative»

Wiktionary

FORMATIVE, adjective. Of or pertaining to the formation and subsequent growth of something.
FORMATIVE, adjective. Capable of forming something.
FORMATIVE, adjective. (biology) Capable of producing new tissue.
FORMATIVE, adjective. (grammar) Pertaining to the inflection of words.
FORMATIVE, noun. (grammar) A language unit that has morphological function.

Dictionary definition

FORMATIVE, noun. Minimal language unit that has a syntactic (or morphological) function.
FORMATIVE, adjective. Capable of forming new cells and tissues; "a formative zone in developing bone".
FORMATIVE, adjective. Forming or capable of forming or molding or fashioning; "a formative influence"; "a formative experience".

Wise words

Words are always getting conventionalized to some secondary meaning. It is one of the works of poetry to take the truants in custody and bring them back to their right senses.
William Butler Yeats