noun
format
FAW-mat
noun
1
The way something is laid out or presented — its structure, style, or arrangement.
"The interview will follow a question-and-answer format."
"She prefers the print format over the digital edition."
2
The specific type or structure a computer file is saved in.
"Save the image in JPEG format so it opens on any device."
verb
1
To arrange text or a document so it looks a certain way.
"He formatted the report with headings and page numbers."
2
To erase a storage device and prepare it for new data.
"You need to format the USB drive before you can use it."
How to Use Format
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe shape, layout, or structure of something — or the act of arranging it that way.
Common mistake
Formatting a drive deletes everything on it — people sometimes confuse it with simply organizing files.
Common pairings
file format
format a document
format a hard drive
Word Forms
formatted past tense, formats plural, formats singular
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The interview will follow a question-and-answer _____.
Etymology
From French format, ultimately from Latin liber formatus, "a book shaped" a certain way — the same root that gives us "form."