I.a symmetrical forming or fashioning, conformation, shape, form (freq. in the philos. and rhet. writings of Cic.; elsewhere rare).
I. Prop.: “lineamentorum,” Cic. N. D. 1, 18, 47: “qualis sit (animus) in ipso corpore, quae conformatio, quae magnitudo, qui locus,” id. Tusc. 1, 22, 50: “membrorum,” id. N. D. 2, 33, 85: “quaedam et figura totius oris et corporis,” id. de Or. 1, 25, 114: “theatri,” Vitr. 5, 6.—
II. Trop.
A. In gen.: “vocis,” expression of voice, Cic. de Or. 1, 5, 18: “verborum,” arrangement, id. ib. 1, 33, 151: “verborum et sententiarum,” id. ib. 3, 52, 201: “conformatio et moderatio continentiae et temperantiae,” conformation, id. Off. 3, 25, 96: “animi, i. q. notio,” an idea, notion, conception, id. N. D. 1, 38, 105.—Also without animi, Cic. de Or. 2, 87, 357; id. Top. 5, 27.—
2. In later rhett. esp., a prosopopœia, Auct. Her. 4, 53, 66; Prisc. p. 1340 P.