construction

American  

[kuhn-struhk-shuhn] / kənˈstrʌk ʃən /

noun

1. the act or art of constructing.

2. the way in which a thing is constructed.

   a building of solid construction.

3. something that is constructed; a structure.

4. the occupation or industry of building.

   He works in construction.

5. Grammar.

   1. 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.

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

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

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

   Synonyms:

   story, rendition, version

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construction British  

/ kənˈstrʌkʃən /

noun

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

2. the thing constructed; a structure

3. 1. the business or work of building dwellings, offices, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      a construction site

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

   they put a sympathetic construction on her behaviour

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

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

7. an abstract work of art in three dimensions or relief See also constructivism

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Other Word Forms

• constructional adjective
• constructionally adverb
• preconstruction noun

Etymology

Origin of construction

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

Example Sentences

The country has struggled to address a severe supply shortage of several million homes, after construction slowed in the wake of the financial crisis, according to industry players.

From The Wall Street Journal

A quarrying and construction firm has been fined £110,000 after the death of a subcontractor.

From BBC

The looming castle complex that watches over the city contains the mark of almost every era since its original construction in the Middle Ages.

From The Wall Street Journal

The court was told how another woman who lost more than £40,000 to his scams also thought he was an American attorney and financial expert working on stadium construction in the UK.

From BBC

Two new ships are under construction, each costing more than CAN$3 billion.

From Barron's

Related Words

• development
• manufacture
• plan
• planning
• structure
• system