structure
Americannoun
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structures
plural
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mode of building, construction, or organization; arrangement of parts, elements, or constituents.
a pyramidal structure.
- Synonyms:
- configuration, form, system
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something built or constructed, as a building, bridge, or dam.
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a complex system considered from the point of view of the whole rather than of any single part.
the structure of modern science.
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anything composed of parts arranged together in some way; an organization.
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the relationship or organization of the component parts of a work of art or literature.
the structure of a poem.
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Biology. mode of organization; construction and arrangement of tissues, parts, or organs.
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Geology.
-
the attitude of a bed or stratum or of beds or strata of sedimentary rocks, as indicated by the dip and strike.
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the coarser composition of a rock, as contrasted with its texture.
-
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Chemistry. the manner in which atoms in a molecule are joined to each other, especially in organic chemistry where molecular arrangement is represented by a diagram or model.
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Sociology. social structure.
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the pattern of organization of a language as a whole or of arrangements of linguistic units, as phonemes, morphemes or tagmemes, within larger units.
verb (used with object)
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structures,
present (3rd person singular)
-
structured,
past participle, past
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structuring
present participle
noun
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a complex construction or entity
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the arrangement and interrelationship of parts in a construction, such as a building
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the manner of construction or organization
the structure of society
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biology morphology; form
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chem the arrangement of atoms in a molecule of a chemical compound
the structure of benzene
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geology the way in which a mineral, rock, rock mass or stratum, etc, is made up of its component parts
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rare the act of constructing
verb
Synonym Usage
See building.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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interstructurenoun
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nonstructurenoun
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destructureverb (used with object)
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prestructureverb (used with object)
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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structuresimple
-
structuressimple
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have structuredperfect
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has structuredperfect
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am structuringprogressive
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are structuringprogressive
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is structuringprogressive
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have been structuringperfect progressive
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has been structuringperfect progressive
Past
-
structuredsimple
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had structuredperfect
-
was structuringprogressive
-
were structuringprogressive
-
had been structuringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of structure
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin structūra, equivalent to struct(us) (past participle of struere “to put together”) + -ūra noun suffix; see -ure
Explanation
A structure is something of many parts that is put together. A structure can be a skyscraper, an outhouse, your body, or a sentence. Structure is from the Latin word structura which means "a fitting together, building." Although it's certainly used to describe buildings, it can do more than that. A family's structure includes the relationship of its members, your body structure can refer to how your muscles and bones fit together. Sentence structure is how a sentence is put together, including subjects, verbs, and all that stuff English teachers love to yap about. Structure is usually a noun, but it can also be a verb meaning to impose order, like if you "structure an argument to convince your parents to let you stay out later."
Vocabulary lists containing structure
Tier 2 Words for the SBAC ELA Items
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Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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Vocabulary of the Common Core
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The school boiler room was a hefty, Soviet-era structure.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
One possible explanation is the dairy matrix hypothesis, an idea that emphasizes how the physical structure of food influences the way the body processes its nutrients.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 6, 2026
Trump's proclamation notes the existing protection, but says "nonetheless, the Oval Office merits specific recognition and protective management as a discrete historic structure of national significance".
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026
The structure is intended to provide safe passage — and a lifeline.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026
The flimsy structure was still settling into the sand, causing the floor of each room to tilt at a different angle.
From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin
A spokesperson for the Department of Education said "schools have pastoral care policies and structures" so that children know who they can contact if they require support regarding bereavement.
From BBC ● Nov. 7, 2026
Flynn said the company is swapping wooden power poles for steel and fiberglass structures and replacing hundreds of miles of bare wire with insulated, fire-resistant conductor.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
He said his department is "committed to dismantling every layer of these organisations -- from their leadership to the corporate structures and financial facilitators that enable them to operate with impunity".
From Barron's ● Nov. 6, 2026
The results, reported in two consecutive studies published in Physical Review X and Advanced Materials, show that mechanical strain can influence both magnetic structures and the movement of electrons.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 4, 2026
In order to feed the people who built and used the monumental structures, particularly large quantities of food were required.
From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari
He said he also wanted to see "structured, inclusive dialogue on the enduring consequences of slavery and colonialism".
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026
Some futures-based ETFs are structured as partnerships and issue a special tax form known as a K-1, which details the income for each shareholder’s stake.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2026
Disc 4 is billed “Early Mixes & Guide Vocals” and is by nature more structured than the Tracking Sessions.
From Salon ● Nov. 3, 2026
The transatlantic slave trade was a "brutal and barbaric violation" of enslaved people's rights, the UK leader added, offering a "structured dialogue with those affected".
From Barron's ● Oct. 31, 2026
But Haas argues that these peoples knew of the existence of hierarchical, structured societies with strong central leaders, and could pattern their societies after them.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
People familiar with the deal’s progression said Lorch soon became involved in structuring key aspects of the deal beyond its financing, including how the board would sit for 15 years and choose its successors.
From Salon ● Oct. 23, 2026
"It provides manageable milestones for pupils, structuring it like that," McGinn said.
From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2026
Companies are structuring chip and electricity purchases as future leases rather than owned assets, so the liabilities don’t show up on the balance sheet.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 29, 2026
Chesney also talked about the structuring of his practices, specifically with having some in the morning and afternoon to expose his players to the heat.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026
PIH staff has begun to focus on methods of structuring aid and loans so that in the future the sick and indigent will be the primary beneficiaries.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
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