format

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   divide (a disk) into marked sectors so that it may store data

   Please format this disk before entering data!

2. 2
   noun

   The layout of a publication or document.

   The older manuscripts had been written in a much larger format than that found convenient for university work.

3. 3
   noun

   The type of programming that a radio station broadcasts; such as a certain genre of music, news, sports, talk, etc.

   The radio station changed the format of its evening program.

4. 4
   verb

   To prepare a mass storage medium for initial use, erasing any existing data in the process.

   I lost weeks of work when I inadvertently formatted my hard drive.

5. 5
   noun

   the general appearance of a publication

6. 6
   noun

   the organization of information according to preset specifications (usually for computer processing)

7. 7
   verb

   determine the arrangement of (data) for storage and display (in computer science)

8. 8
   verb

   set (printed matter) into a specific format

Etymology

Via French format and German Format, from New Latin liber fōrmātus (“book fashioned”), from fōrmō (“to shape, fashion”).