A method, style, or approach in art, literature, or music that emphasizes form and structure over content or meaning. The artist's work is characterized by a strict formalism that prioritizes geometric shapes and patterns.
An excessive adherence to prescribed forms or rules, often at the expense of substance or meaning. The bureaucratic formalism of the organization made it difficult to implement any real change.
In mathematics and logic, a formal system or set of symbols and rules used to derive conclusions. The mathematician developed a new formalism to solve complex equations more efficiently.