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constitution
[ kon-sti-too-shuhn, -tyoo- ]
/ ˌkɒn stɪˈtu ʃən, -ˈtyu- /
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noun
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Origin of constitution
1350–1400; Middle English constitucion edict, ordinance <Anglo-French <Latin constitūtiōn- (stem of constitūtiō). See constitute, -ion
OTHER WORDS FROM constitution
an·ti·con·sti·tu·tion, adjectiveWords nearby constitution
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use constitution in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for constitution
constitution
/ (ˌkɒnstɪˈtjuːʃən) /
noun
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
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Cultural definitions for constitution (1 of 2)
constitution
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.
Cultural definitions for constitution (2 of 2)
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.)
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.