format
Noun · VerbOpen English WordNet
Noun (2)
- the organization of information according to preset specifications (usually for computer processing)Synonyms: formattingdata formatdata formattingType of information, infoKinds low-level formatting, high-level formatting
- the general appearance of a publicationType of appearance, visual aspectKinds A2, A5, A4, A1, A0, A6Part of publication
Verb (3)formatted, formatting
- set (printed matter) into a specific format“Format this letter so it can be printed out”Synonyms: arrangeMore general changeMore specific indent, rubricate
- determine the arrangement of (data) for storage and display (in computer science)More general determine, set
- divide (a disk) into marked sectors so that it may store data“Please format this disk before entering data!”Synonyms: initializeinitialiseMore general divide, split
What does it mean? Question 1 of today’s quiz
Translations
Verb to format a disk (computing)
- Spanish
- formatear
- French
- formater
- German
- formatieren
- Italian
- formattare
- Portuguese
- formatar
- Turkish
- biçimlendirmek
- Russian
- формати́ровать formatírovatʹ
- Arabic
- نسّق nassaqa
- Chinese
- 格式化 géshìhuà
- Dutch
- formatteren
9 more languages
- Polish
- sformatować
- Swedish
- formatera
- Indonesian
- memformat
- Portuguese (PT)
- formatar
- Chinese (Trad.)
- 格式化 géshìhuà
- Czech
- formátovat
- Finnish
- formatoida
- Icelandic
- strauja
- Romanian
- formata
Noun layout of a document
The main translation for each meaning, from the langtolang.com multilingual dictionary. Each word links to its full entry there.
Webster's Dictionary (1913)
Origin: F. or G. Cf. Formation.
1. Printing The shape and size of a book or other printed publication; hence, its external form. [wns=2]
The older manuscripts had been written in a much larger format than that found convenient for university work.— G. H. Putnam.
One might, indeed, protest that the format is a little too luxurious.— Nature
2. Printing the arrangement of the parts of a printed page, such as text and graphics; as, text flowing around an illustration provides a more pleasing format; multiple columns are a more common format for large pages.
3. Computers The pattern of organization of information in an electronic storage medium, such as the number and size of records, or the size, spacing, or separation symbols for fields in a record. A computer file, for example, may be in fixed-length format, in which each field or record occupies the same number of bytes, or in variable-length format, in which the lengths of fields or records varies. The number of formats are unlimited, being specifiable at will by programmers or in some cases by the users of programs. [wns=1] Syn. — data format.
4. Hence, The general organization, form, or plan for anything, such as an organized social, political, or entertainment event.
to set into a specific format; — of printed matter or data recorded on a data storage medium. Syn. — arrange.
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54 · with additions: +PJC, 1913 supplement, GCIDE editors, WordNet 1.5
Free On-line Dictionary of Computing
1.<storage> disk format - to prepare a new, blank disk for writing.
2.<operating system> file format - how data is arranged in a specific type of file.
(2007-09-04)