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Format—Wolfram Documentation

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Format[expr]

prints as the formatted form of expr. Assigning values to Format[expr] defines print forms for expressions.

Format[expr,form]

gives a format for the specified form of output.

Details
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Examples  
Basic Examples  
Scope  
Properties & Relations  
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Format

Format[expr]

prints as the formatted form of expr. Assigning values to Format[expr] defines print forms for expressions.

Format[expr,form]

gives a format for the specified form of output.

Details

  • Standard forms for formatted output are:
  • CFormC language input form
    FortranFormFortran input form
    InputFormone‐dimensional form suitable for direct keyboard input
    MathMLFormMathML form
    OutputFormcharacter‐based two-dimensional form
    StandardFormstandard two-dimensional form
    TeXFormTeX input form
    TraditionalFormform approximating traditional mathematical notation
  • You can add your own forms for formatted output.
  • Format[s]:=rhs defines a symbol s to print like rhs. »
  • Format[f[…]]:=rhs defines a function f to print like rhs. »
  • If you specify a new output format for an expression by giving a definition for Format, there is no guarantee that the Wolfram Language will be able to interpret this output format if it is used as input.
  • Definitions given for Format are used before those given for MakeBoxes.

Examples

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Basic Examples  (1)

See an expression formatted in TraditionalForm:

Wolfram Language code: Format[Sin[x], TraditionalForm]

Scope  (3)

Format kappa as the Greek letter:

Wolfram Language code: Format[kappa] := κ
Wolfram Language code: kappa

Format a function f differently if it has more than two arguments:

Wolfram Language code: Format[f[x_, y_, z__]] := f[x, …]
Wolfram Language code: f[a, b]
Wolfram Language code: f[a, b, c]

Define formatting for a specific form:

Wolfram Language code: Format[bin[x_, y_], TraditionalForm] := MatrixForm[{{x}, {y}}]
Wolfram Language code: bin[a, b]//TraditionalForm

StandardForm output is unaffected:

Wolfram Language code: bin[a, b]

Properties & Relations  (1)

MakeBoxes and ToBoxes use formatting rules added via Format:

Wolfram Language code: MakeBoxes[bin[x, y], StandardForm]
Wolfram Language code: ToBoxes[bin[x, y], StandardForm]

Add formatting for bin:

Wolfram Language code: Format[bin[x_, y_]] := MatrixForm[{{x}, {y}}]
Wolfram Language code: MakeBoxes[bin[i, j], StandardForm]
Wolfram Language code: ToBoxes[bin[x, y], StandardForm]
Wolfram Research (1988), Format, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Format.html (updated 2003).

Text

Wolfram Research (1988), Format, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Format.html (updated 2003).

CMS

Wolfram Language. 1988. "Format." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. Last Modified 2003. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Format.html.

APA

Wolfram Language. (1988). Format. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Format.html

BibTeX

@misc{reference.wolfram_2026_format, author="Wolfram Research", title="{Format}", year="2003", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Format.html}", note=[Accessed: 14-November-2026]}

BibLaTeX

@online{reference.wolfram_2026_format, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={Format}, year={2003}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Format.html}, note=[Accessed: 14-November-2026]}