formally

The word 'formally' is built upon the Latin noun 'forma', which originally denoted a mold, shape, or figure, and by extension, an ideal pattern or prescribed method. The addition of the adjectival suffix '-al' created 'formal', characterizing something as pertaining to outward form, established procedure, or ceremonial observance rather than content or essence. Finally, the adverbial suffix '-ly', of Germanic origin, was appended to indicate the manner of an action, thus generating the modern sense of doing something in a way that adheres to official convention, ceremony, or structured procedure. The term's evolution perfectly illustrates the journey from a concrete concept of physical shape to an abstract concept of procedural correctness.