🗂️ A type or kind 🔷 Shape or structure 📄 A document 👥 To create a group ☁️ To take shape 🦠 A variant group 👐 To make or shape 🏅 Performance level 🌊 To make up 🧠 To establish 🔤 Word shape 👩‍🎓 A student group 🧍 A mannequin 🧱 A mold or frame

form

445 6.7

A group within a species with small physical or genetic differences

noun
/fɔrm/

Specialized

: forma

Meningococcal septicaemia is a less common form but has a high fatality rate.
life-form
larval form
growth form

Life is what transcends all forms of life.

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Examples

It's one of the most preventable forms of cancer.
Several patients with rapidly advancing and deadly forms of cancer were cancer-free a few months later.

Academic text (2012)
- It's an organic life form just like us.

Horizon (2019)
It's a rare form of bone cancer, and this cancer had spread throughout her body.

The Glimmer Man (1996)
Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a form of neuropathic pain that can follow an attack of shingles.

Academic text (2012)
One rare form of cancer is called CLL, which affects the blood cells.
Their daughter was diagnosed with a form of dwarfism, impacting her growth and health.
Meningococcal septicaemia is a less common form but has a high fatality rate.

Synonyms

strain

vsform

Specialized

131 4.9

A type of animal, plant, or small living thing with particular traits

is a minor differing group, not a strongly distinct lineage

variation

vsform

77 3.3

A different form of something, like a design or recipe

is a named minor group within species rather than the general difference

variant

vsform

53 4.9

A different form of something, like a virus or recipe

is a minor within-species group rather than a clearly distinct version

subgroup

vsform

16 3.6

A smaller part of a larger group that has its own role or feature

is specifically a minor biological group differing insignificantly, not just any internal group

var.

vsform

Specialized

8.1

A group within a species that has small differences like leaf shape

is the full word used instead of the abbreviation

Idioms

true to form

Informal

9 4.1

Happening or acting in the usual way as before

in rare form

Informal

4 7.6

Doing something much better than usual with extra energy

in no way, shape, or form

3 5.6

It is not true or possible in any way

to return to form

1 4.6

Get back to a previous good level of ability after a time of decline

Compounds

life form

127 2.8

A plant, an animal, or a tiny organism

art form

55 3.2

A particular type of art, like music, painting, or dance

life form

Specialized

37 3.4

The physical shape and parts of a plant or animal

tax form

Formal

12 2.8

An official paper you use to tell the government how much money you earn and owe in tax

application form

8 2.0

A document with questions to fill in when you apply for a job or a course

order form

6 2.0

A printed or online page you fill to ask for goods and services

form letter

5 3.2

A letter sent to many people with the same text

requisition form

Formal

4 4.1

An official paper you use to ask for supplies or services from an organization

claim form

Formal

3 2.9

A document you fill in to ask for money back from an insurance company

good form

3 4.9

Polite behavior people expect in social situations

free-form

2 5.3

A work that does not follow fixed rules or structure

form of address

1 3.4

A way of speaking used when you talk to someone to show their title or relationship

free form

Specialized

1 6.5

A small part of language that can be a whole word

plural form

1 1.6

A change in a word that shows more than one person or thing

citation form

Texting

1 7.5

The basic form of a word that a dictionary lists

verse form

Literature

1 7.0

A type of poem with a set number of lines and rhythm like a sonnet or haiku

bound form

Specialized

9.6

A small part added to a word that cannot stand alone, like -s in cats and -ed in walked

combining form

Specialized

8.1

A small word part from Greek or Latin that appears only inside longer words

baking form

2.6

A pan that holds batter or dough while it bakes

form book

Jargon

6.7

A record of past results and details about competitors that helps people decide bets

form class

Specialized

6.9

A group of words that do the same job in grammar, like a noun or verb

form division

Archaic

9.9

An old artificial group that scientists used to sort plants

form family

Specialized

9.9

A temporary group scientists use for plants or animals when it is not clear how they are related

form genus Rhizoctinia

Specialized

9.9

A group name for fungi seen only in their non-sexual stage, often causing plant disease

form genus

Specialized

9.9

A temporary group for living things, often fossils, whose relations to others are unclear

leaf form

5.6

The shape of a plant leaf that helps identify species

major form class

Specialized

7.7

A main group of words like nouns, verbs, and adjectives that show a word's role in a sentence

imperative form

Specialized

4.4

A verb form used to give a command or request

plural form

Specialized

3.7

One translation used for different numbers, like one or many

telegraph form

Archaic

8.2

A printed form you use to write a telegram

singular form

Specialized

1.8

The form of a word used for one person or thing

sonata form

Specialized

8.6

A musical pattern with three main parts used at the start of many symphonies and sonatas

word form

Specialized

4.1

A written or spoken version of a word showing its grammar and sound

Surface Forms

form singular

forms plural

Etymology

Form comes from the Latin forma 'shape', and in biology a 'form' is a small 'shape' difference within a species, so it means a minor variant or type.