An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

1. General: The way in which something is presented, organized, or arranged.
   Publishing: The shape and size of a book, magazine, or newspaper, including the typeface, binding, quality of paper, margins, etc.
   Computers: The structure or arrangement of digital data in a specific type of file. A computer program accepts data as input in a certain format, processes it, and provides it as output in the same or another format.
   

2. Computers: To prepare a storage medium, usually a disk, for reading and writing.

Etymology (EN): From Fr. format, from Mod.L. liber formatus “a book formed” (in such and such a way), referring to shape, size; from formatus p.p. of formare “to form,” → form.

Etymology (PE): 1) Disâr, from dis, → form + -âr contraction of âvar agent noun of âvardan “to bring; to cause, produce” (Mid.Pers. âwurtan, âvaritan; Av. ābar- “to bring; to possess,” from prefix ā- + Av./O.Pers. bar- “to bear, carry,” bareθre “to bear (infinitive),” bareθri “a female that bears (children), a mother;” Mod.Pers. bordan “to carry;” Skt. bharati “he carries;” Gk. pherein; L. fero “to carry”).
2) Infinitive from dis, → form.