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• constitution
  constitution

  noun

  the system of fundamental principles according to which a nation, state, corporation, or the like, is governed.
• Constitution
  Constitution

  The fundamental law of the United States, drafted in Philadelphia in 1787 (see Constitutional Convention), ratified in 1788, and put into effect in 1789. It established a strong central government in place of the Articles of Confederation. (See Preamble to the Constitution.)

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constitution

American  

[kon-sti-too-shuhn, -tyoo-] / ˌkɒn stɪˈtu ʃən, -ˈtju- /

noun

• constitutions
  plural

1. the system of fundamental principles according to which a nation, state, corporation, or the like, is governed.

2. the document embodying these principles.

3. (initial capital letter) Constitution of the United States.

4. the way in which a thing is composed or made up; makeup; composition.

   the chemical constitution of the cleanser.

5. the physical character of the body as to strength, health, etc..

   He has a strong constitution.

6. Medicine/Medical, Psychology. the aggregate of a person's physical and psychological characteristics.

7. the act or process of constituting; establishment.

8. the state of being constituted; formation.

9. any established arrangement or custom.

10. Archaic. character or condition of mind; disposition; temperament.

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constitution British  

/ ˌkɒnstɪˈtjuːʃən /

noun

1. the act of constituting or state of being constituted

2. the way in which a thing is composed; physical make-up; structure

3. the fundamental political principles on which a state is governed, esp when considered as embodying the rights of the subjects of that state

4. (often capital) (in certain countries, esp Australia and the US) a statute embodying such principles

5. a person's state of health

6. a person's disposition of mind; temperament

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Constitution ¹ Cultural  

1. The fundamental law of the United States, drafted in Philadelphia in 1787 (see Constitutional Convention), ratified in 1788, and put into effect in 1789. It established a strong central government in place of the Articles of Confederation. (See Preamble to the Constitution.)

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constitution ² Cultural  

1. A nation or state's fundamental set of laws. Most nations with constitutions have them in written form, such as the United States Constitution. The constitution of Britain, by contrast, is an informal set of traditions, based on several different laws.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• anticonstitution
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• constitutions
  plural

Etymology

Origin of constitution

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

Explanation

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

constitution Constitution constitutions

However, Brazil's constitution would prevent him from running for president right after his son in the 2030 elections.

From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026

His plan to withdraw financial support for the lieutenant-governor's office is likely to face significant legal challenges, given the monarchy's central role in Canada's constitution.

From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026

In 2024, the city of Los Angeles formed a commission to find ways to improve services and amend its charter, which essentially serves as the city’s constitution.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

South Korea—whose constitution treats North Koreans as citizens—has argued it should receive the pair of POWs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026

The agreement was that voters would elect four hundred representatives to a constituent assembly, which would both write a new constitution and serve as a parliament.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

“And it’s hard to give up the opportunity to do something that I think will be good for the Constitution and good for the country as long as I’m able to do it.”

From Salon ● Oct. 6, 2026

Shanmugam characterized Boulder’s case as “unprecedented,” and argued that the Constitution does not permit individual localities to “use state law to regulate global conduct.”

From Slate ● Oct. 5, 2026

Neither the Constitution nor the Clean Air Act provides such a shield, he said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 4, 2026

The founders wrote the Constitution in part to fix that deficiency.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

The Haudenosaunee Constitution, called the Great Law of Peace, inspired some key parts of the US Constitution.

From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

He said he would enforce state laws he doesn’t like as long as they are in line with the California and U.S. constitutions.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

Bold spices could be another way to sharpen the taste, she said, but for the delicate constitutions of GLP-1 users, that’s not a great option either.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026

Now, there is a question of whether that law violates the Kentucky Constitution, the United States Constitution, or both constitutions.

From Slate ● Aug. 1, 2026

It also runs counter to a long history of immigration in Argentina, which has one of the world's most lenient constitutions in this regard, according to sociologist Ivan Schuliaquer.

From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026

Elections to regional legislatures would take place at the same time as national elections, and the regional bodies could draw up their own constitutions consistent with the national constitution.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

Related Words

• charter
• code
• custom
• legislation