the system of fundamental principles according to which a nation, state, corporation, or the like, is governed.
the document embodying these principles.
(initial capital letter) Constitution of the United States.
the way in which a thing is composed or made up; makeup; composition.
the chemical constitution of the cleanser.
the physical character of the body as to strength, health, etc..
He has a strong constitution.
Medicine/Medical, Psychology. the aggregate of a person's physical and psychological characteristics.
the act or process of constituting; establishment.
the state of being constituted; formation.
any established arrangement or custom.
Archaic. character or condition of mind; disposition; temperament.
the act of constituting or state of being constituted
the way in which a thing is composed; physical make-up; structure
the fundamental political principles on which a state is governed, esp when considered as embodying the rights of the subjects of that state
(often capital) (in certain countries, esp Australia and the US) a statute embodying such principles
a person's state of health
a person's disposition of mind; temperament
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English constitucion “edict, ordinance,” from Anglo-French, from Latin constitūtiōn-, stem of constitūtiō “an appointing, establishing”; see constitute, -ion
A constitution is a statement of the basic principles and laws of a nation, state, or group, such as the U.S. Constitution. Another very common meaning of constitution is the physical makeup of a person. The noun constitution is from Latin, from constitutus, "set up, established," plus the suffix -ion, meaning "act, state, or condition." So think of a constitution as how a body (yours, the government's) is set up. If you have a strong constitution, it means you don't get sick very often.
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More specifically, they claimed that the Virginia Constitution prevents amendments unless there is an intervening election in between the first time a proposed amendment is introduced and passed in the Legislature and the second time.
From Slate • May 8, 2026
"It is declared that the vote of the National Assembly taken on 13 December 2022... is inconsistent with the Constitution, invalid, and it is set aside," the Constitutional Court's Chief Justice Mandisa Maya said.
From Barron's • May 8, 2026
More than 90% of people jailed pretrial were charged with offenses that didn’t even qualify for detention under the California Constitution: shoplifting, driving without a license, vandalism.
From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026
The Austrian government's most recent Report on the Protection of the Constitution said Vienna was "one of the last remaining locations for Russian signals intelligence in Europe".
From BBC • May 4, 2026
The amendment was ratified by the states and became part of the Constitution in December 1865.
From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
