old name of Taiwan, given by the Portuguese, from Portuguese Formosa insula "beautiful island." The adjective is from the fem. of Latin formosus "beautiful, handsome, finely formed," from forma "form, shape" (see form (n.)). Related: Formosan (1640s).
formicant
formicary
formication
formidable
formless
Formosa
formula
formulae
formulaic
formular
formulary
