reformation
UK[ˌrefəˈmeɪʃn]US[ˌrefərˈmeɪʃn]
n
The act of making an improvement, especially by changing a person's behavior or the structure of something.
n
(Reformation) The 16th-century religious movement that aimed to reform the Roman Catholic Church and resulted in the establishment of Protestant churches.
Morpheme Breakdown
re
form
ation
re
again
form
shape
ation
action/state
Etymology
The word 'reformation' originates from the Latin verb 'reformare,' meaning "to form again, change, transform." This verb itself is a compound of the prefix 're-' (indicating a return to a previous state or a repeated action) and 'formare' (to shape or form, from 'forma,' meaning shape or mold). Entering English via Old French 'reformacion,' the term initially carried the concrete sense of remolding or reshaping. Over time, particularly through its association with the profound religious and institutional changes of the 16th century, its meaning evolved to emphasize the abstract process of improving or amending something by returning it to a better, purer, or more correct form.
Analysis
Structure: re (again) + form (shape) + ation (action/state)
re: Latin origin, a prefix meaning "again" or "back."
form: Latin origin (from 'forma'), meaning "shape," "mold," or "appearance."
ation: Latin suffix (via Old French '-acion'), forming nouns indicating an action or its result.
Examples
The company announced a major reformation of its management structure.
The Reformation led to significant changes in European Christianity and society.
His time in prison was a period of personal reformation.