constitute

[kon-sti-toot, -tyoot]

verb (used with object)

constituted, constituting 

1. to compose; form.

   mortar constituted of lime and sand.

2. to appoint to an office or function; make or create.

   He was constituted treasurer.

3. to establish (laws, an institution, etc.).

   Synonyms: commission, institute

4. to give legal form to (an assembly, court, etc.).

5. to create or be tantamount to.

   Imports constitute a challenge to local goods.

6. Archaic.,  to set or place.

constitute

/ ˈkɒnstɪˌtjuːt /

verb

1. to make up; form; compose

   the people who constitute a jury

2. to appoint to an office or function

   a legally constituted officer

3. to set up (a school or other institution) formally; found

4. law to give legal form to (a court, assembly, etc)

5. obsolete,  law to set up or enact (a law)

Other Word Forms

• constituter noun
• constitutor noun
• nonconstituted adjective
• preconstitute verb (used with object)
• self-constituted adjective
• self-constituting adjective
• unconstituted adjective
• well-constituted adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of constitute¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin constitūtus, past participle of constituere “to set up, found”; constituent

Word History and Origins

Origin of constitute¹

C15: from Latin constituere, from com- (intensive) + statuere to place

Example Sentences

By the 2020s, contingent workers constituted a growing share of the workforce.

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Refugees and asylum seekers constitute 3.9% of Uganda’s population, according to the Norwegian Refugee Council.

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As with the adoption of Casual Fridays, the first sally in the contemporary battle for comfort, there remains confusion as to what exactly constitutes acceptable office attire.

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A 1260H designation wouldn’t constitute a ban of sorts for Alibaba and others, but would mark a hit to the company’s reputation and could raise general regulatory risks for U.S. investors and prospective clients.

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A 1260H designation wouldn’t constitute a ban of sorts for Alibaba and others, but would mark a hit to the company’s reputation and could raise general regulatory risks for U.S. investors and prospective clients.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• create 
• establish