formación

Formación is a Spanish noun that denotes the act or result of forming or being formed. It is used across many domains to refer to development, growth, or creation, and is frequently encountered in education and professional contexts as well as in the sciences. In geology, the term refers to a formally defined rock unit.

Formación derives from Latin formatio, from formare, to shape. The word is cognate with formation in English and similar terms in other Romance languages.

In education and professional development, formación describes the process of acquiring knowledge, skills, and competencies. Expressions include formación académica (academic training), formación profesional (vocational training), and formación continua or lifelong learning, as well as programas de formación (training programs).

As a geological term, a "formación" is a body of rock with identifiable lithology and stratigraphic characteristics that distinguish it from adjacent units and that can be mapped at the Earth's surface or in the subsurface. Formations are the basic units of stratigraphy and are often named from a reference location.

In military usage, "formación" denotes the arrangement of troops or vehicles in lines or columns; the phrase "en formación" means in formation. More broadly, the term can describe the organization or structure of a group or institution.