1. plural of formative; experiences, influences, or elements that shape or mold development
2. plural of formative; in linguistics, morphemes or word elements used to form new words
Usage: linguistics

Examples

• Her childhood experiences were important formatives in her career choice.
• The formatives of his personality included his strict upbringing and military service.
• Teachers recognize that early school years contain crucial formatives for learning.
• The linguist studied various formatives used in word construction.
• Prefixes and suffixes are common formatives in English.
• These formatives helped shape the language over centuries.