Dictionary.com
definitions

constitution

[ kon-sti-too-shuh n, -tyoo- ]
/ ˌkɒn stɪˈtu ʃən, -ˈtyu- /
|
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR constitution ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

RELATED CONTENT

What Is In The Oath Of Office?Like clockwork, we hear the presidential oath of office every four years. Thirty-five words that basically give the incoming Chief Executive the keys to the proverbial car. And the nuclear launch codes. The National Museum of American History says that Article 2, Section 1 of the Constitution “requires that before presidents can assume their duties they must take the oath of office.” Once the incoming …
READ MORE
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, Tatterdemalion, And Other Trending Words On Dictionary.comA sequel to a treasured children's film and a celebration of the nation's laws both landed on the Dictionary.com trending words list this week. Here's what else had you wondering about words.
READ MORE

RELATED WORDS

structure, nature, charter, code, legislation, custom, form, habit, character, frame, temperament, physique, habitus, vitality, temper, content, construction, formation, architecture, disposition

Nearby words

  1. constituency,
  2. constituent,
  3. constituent assembly,
  4. constituent structure,
  5. constitute,
  6. constitution clock,
  7. constitution mirror,
  8. constitution of the united states,
  9. constitution state,
  10. constitution, the

Origin of constitution

1350–1400; Middle English constitucion edict, ordinance < Anglo-French < Latin constitūtiōn- (stem of constitūtiō). See constitute, -ion
Related formsan·ti·con·sti·tu·tion, adjective

Constitution, The

noun

an American 44-gun frigate, famous for its exploits in the War of 1812 and popularly called “Old Ironsides.”
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for constitution

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
Word Origin and History for constitution

constitution

n.

mid-14c., "law, regulation, edict," from Old French constitucion (12c.) "constitution, establishment," and directly from Latin constitutionem (nominative constitutio) "act of settling, settled condition, anything arranged or settled upon, regulation, order, ordinance," from constitut-, past participle stem of constituere (see constitute).

Meaning "action of establishing" is from 1580s; that of "way in which a thing is constituted" is from c.1600; that of "physical health, strength and vigor of the body" is from 1550s; of the mind, "temperament, character" from 1580s. Sense of "mode of organization of a state" is from c.1600; that of "system of principles by which a community is governed" dates from 1730s; especially of a document of written laws since the U.S. and French constitutions, late 18c.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Medicine definitions for constitution

constitution

[ kŏn′stĭ-tōō′shən ]

n.

The physical makeup of the body, including its functions, metabolic processes, reactions to stimuli, and resistance to the attack of pathogenic organisms.
The composition or structure of a molecule.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Culture definitions for 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.)

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.

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.