This word is acceptable for play in the US & UK dictionaries that are being used in the following games:

• Lexulous
• Wordscraper
• Wordosaur

n. An overly formal person, especially one who adheres to current forms; a stickler

n. An advocate of formalism

adj. Of or pertaining to formalism; formalistic

n. One overattentive to forms, or too much confined to them; esp., one who rests in external religious forms, or observes strictly the outward forms of worship, without possessing the life and spirit of religion.

n. One who adheres strictly to established custom, form, or usage, as in style, conduct, or procedure; one who is attached to the observance of recognized modes or methods; also, one who has undue regard to forms and rules.

n. In philosophy, one who denies the existence of matter and recognizes the existence of form only; an idealist.

"It might for someone like me, or like Justice White (both of us are strongly legal realist in our orientation, as you may have guessed) but the point of being a formalist is that if you don't play by the rules, you don't get the result you are seeking."

formalism   

formalistic   

precisia   

bragger    drillmaster    martinet    vaunter    homophobe