mation

Mation is not a standalone word in English. In linguistic and lexical contexts, it is treated as part of a suffixal sequence that forms certain nouns from verbs or roots, reflecting the idea of action, process, or result. The sequence appears in a range of words such as information, formation, animation, automation, maturation, and transformation. These terms cover diverse domains, including data, development, media, and technology.

Origins and usage. The form -mation derives from the Latin suffix -mātionem, carried into English via French and other intermediaries. In English, the -mation sequence often appears when a base expresses a process or state that results from an action. While not all English words ending in -ation contain a visible -mation segment, many notable terms do, and the choice of the root word determines the semantic field—information relates to data and knowledge, formation to shaping or arrangement, animation to motion or lifelike rendering, automation to mechanized control, and maturation to development to full form.

Phonology and morphology. In pronunciation, the -mation portion is typically realized as a stressed via -meɪʃn̩ or -meɪʃən, as in information, automation, and formation. The exact rhythm depends on the surrounding syllable structure and the word’s etymology.

See also. The discussion of mation is closely related to the wider -ation and -tion suffix classes, English word formation processes, and Latin-derived noun formation.