Formative implies "something which is capable of forming or shaping." The word "formative" is used as an adjective form of the noun "form" or "formation." The word can also mean "vulnerable to changes because of experience or development", for example "the formative years in a child."
Anything which begins to evolve or develop can be termed as "formative." In linguistics, the smallest unit of language that has a syntactic function is called as formative. In Biology, a phenomenon of forming new cells and tissues is known to be formative. An act of influencing or persuading is also known as 'formative'. Here is the sentence which justifies the meaning of the word:
The hatred of his uncle was a formative influence in making Sam a rebel.
Anything which begins to evolve or develop can be termed as "formative." In linguistics, the smallest unit of language that has a syntactic function is called as formative. In Biology, a phenomenon of forming new cells and tissues is known to be formative. An act of influencing or persuading is also known as 'formative'. Here is the sentence which justifies the meaning of the word:
The hatred of his uncle was a formative influence in making Sam a rebel.