Meanings
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1
noun
strict adherence to prescribed forms, rules, or procedures, sometimes at the expense of substance
The committee's formalism prevented it from considering the merits of an unusual application.
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2
noun
mathematics and logic: an approach that treats a system through formally specified symbols and rules of operation or inference
The proof assistant checks the argument within a precisely defined formalism.
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3
noun
art and criticism: emphasis on a work's form and technique rather than its subject matter or social context
The critic's formalism focused on rhythm, color, and composition.
Thesaurus
Etymology
From formal + -ism. Formal comes through Latin formalis from forma ("shape, form"). The noun developed specialized senses for rule-governed symbolic methods and for theories that give explanatory priority to form.