construction

American  

[kuhn-struhk-shuhn] / kənˈstrʌk ʃən /

noun

• constructions
  plural

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

Derived Forms

• preconstruction
  noun
• constructional
  adjective
• constructionally
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• constructions
  plural

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” ( see construct) + -iō -ion

Explanation

The creation or building of something is construction. Depending on your budget, if you are building a new house, you will get the construction of a castle, a house, a cottage, or a shack. The word construction has its roots in the Latin word construere, which itself has roots in com-, meaning "together," and struere meaning "to pile up." In addition to the building of property, the noun construction also refers to the building trade itself. If you work for a company that builds things — from offices to houses and bridges to dams — you work in construction, whether you are a carpenter at the work site or the secretary who schedules the jobs.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

construction constructions

A nationwide movement opposing the continued construction of data centers offers some hope, with both Republicans and Democrats noticing the popular sentiment is largely anti-AI.

From Salon ● Aug. 12, 2026

Bath confirmed they will play their final two home games of the Prem season away from the Recreation Ground to enable construction work to begin as part of a redevelopment.

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026

A 41-year-old man in Tehran who works in construction said business activity has fallen sharply.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026

A third data center has been built near Colossus II, and a fourth is under construction.

From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026

The basic framework for all these institutions and traditions was built in a sudden spasm of enforced inspiration and makeshift construction during the final decades of the eighteenth century.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

The only points of passage that have tollbooths are the Suez and Panama canals, both of which are artificial constructions that require maintenance.

From Barron's ● Apr. 9, 2026

At the same time, the mathematical foundations behind these constructions are highly advanced and demand careful analytical work.

From Science Daily ● Jan. 7, 2026

Still, out of deference to his wife, he mostly keeps his constructions confined to a single room downstairs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2025

Family is like a tapestry, sewn together in a constant story despite different constructions and experiences.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2025

The resolution to the paradox—that a bad thing, dying, implies a good thing, having lived—is explained with parallel constructions: never going to die... never going to be born.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker

Related Words

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