free form


noun
  1. a shape having an irregular contour, chiefly used in nonrepresentational art and industrial design.

  2. Linguistics. a linguistic form that can occur by itself, as fire, book, or run.

Origin of free form

1
First recorded in 1945–50

Other definitions for free-form (2 of 2)

free-form

or free·form

[ adjective free-fawrm; adverb free-fawrm ]

adjective
  1. characterized by free form: free-form sculpture.

  2. not organized or planned in a conventional way: a free-form international conglomerate.

  1. encouraged to function or evolve without advance planning; spontaneous:free-form management.

adverb
  1. without restrictions or preconceptions: The children were allowed to paint free-form.

Origin of free-form

2
First recorded in 1950–55

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use free form in a sentence

  • The free form of government of this church attracted both ministers and members.

  • It is a discussion of a number of very vital subjects in the free form of extemporaneously spoken words.

    The New Freedom | Woodrow Wilson
  • He regarded it as a synonym of the fantasia, which was a free form made up of fugato instrumental passages.

    An Autobiography | Igor Stravinsky
  • The somewhat free form of his paper contributed to its success, as it only made his conviction and enthusiasm more apparent.

British Dictionary definitions for free form

free form

/ arts /


noun
  1. an irregular flowing shape, often used in industrial or fabric design

adjectivefree-form
  1. freely flowing, spontaneous

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012