Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “formula” come from?

Formula comes from Latin formula, diminutive of forma, from Ancient Greek μορφή meaning "shape," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European -lós.

formula (English): Any mathematical rule expressed symbolically; A...

Definitions

  1. Any mathematical rule expressed symbolically; A...

Ancestry of “formula”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinformulashape, outline; form; beauty; pattern, mould;...
2Latin-ulusUsed to form a diminutive of a noun, indicating...
3Proto-Italic-olos—
4Proto-Italic-elos—
5Proto-Indo-European-e-lós—
6Proto-Indo-European-lósForms agent nouns from verbal roots

Words derived from “formula”

  • formulate
  • formulaic
  • reformulate
  • formulator
  • subformula
  • formulaically
  • formular
  • formulism
  • formulize
  • formulaicity
  • nonformulaic
  • formularise
  • reformulator
  • formularization
  • formulaicness
  • unformulaic
  • formulist
  • superformula
  • preformulate
  • stereoformula
  • deformulate
  • formulizer
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -lós →