construction

[ kuhn-struhk-shuhn ]
See synonyms for construction on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. the act or art of constructing.

  2. the way in which a thing is constructed: a building of solid construction.

  1. something that is constructed; a structure.

  2. the occupation or industry of building: He works in construction.

  3. Grammar.

    • the arrangement of two or more forms in a grammatical unit. Constructions involving bound forms are often called morphological, as the bound forms fif- and -teen. Those involving only free forms are often called syntactic, as the good man, in the house.: Compare bound form, free form.

    • a word or phrase consisting of two or more forms arranged in a particular way.

    • a group of words or morphemes for which there is a rule in some part of the grammar.

  4. explanation or interpretation, as of a law, a text, or an action.

Origin of construction

1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin constrūctiōn-, stem of constrūctiō “placement together, building,” from constrūct(us) “put together” (see construct) + -iō -ion

Other words for construction

Other words from construction

  • con·struc·tion·al, adjective
  • con·struc·tion·al·ly, adverb
  • pre·con·struc·tion, noun

Words Nearby construction

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use construction in a sentence

  • If one has thoughts to express, it is possible to learn very soon some method of construction.

    The Homesteader | Oscar Micheaux
  • He simply devoured books, studying every detail of construction, and learning a great deal as to style and effect.

    The Homesteader | Oscar Micheaux
  • The two lines are as closely connected as grammatical construction and the expression of thought could make them.

    Assimilative Memory | Marcus Dwight Larrowe (AKA Prof. A. Loisette)
  • The day was won, the carriages secure, and the order for their construction was placed with a firm in Birmingham.

  • It was, therefore, more in the construction and workmanship then, that the sign manual was perceptible.

    Antonio Stradivari | Horace William Petherick

British Dictionary definitions for construction

construction

/ (kənˈstrʌkʃən) /


noun
  1. the process or act of constructing or manner in which a thing is constructed

  2. the thing constructed; a structure

    • the business or work of building dwellings, offices, etc

    • (as modifier): a construction site

  1. an interpretation or explanation of a law, text, action, etc: they put a sympathetic construction on her behaviour

  2. grammar a group of words that together make up one of the constituents into which a sentence may be analysed; a phrase or clause

  3. geometry a drawing of a line, angle, or figure satisfying certain conditions, used in solving a problem or proving a theorem

  4. an abstract work of art in three dimensions or relief: See also constructivism (def. 1)

Derived forms of construction

  • constructional, adjective
  • constructionally, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012