The local omission of a partial type by a consistent first-order theory means that, for every formula consistent with , there is some such that
is consistent. Equivalently, no formula consistent with implies every member of . Thus every possible local condition has a compatible refinement excluding at least one proposed type formula.
The omitting types theorem states: in a countable first-order language, if is consistent and locally omits each of countably many finite-arity families , then it has a countable model omitting them all. Omission means that no tuple satisfies every formula in the family. In the case of a complete type, local omission is equivalent to the type being nonisolated. Countability of the language and of the list of omission requirements is essential to this formulation.