constitutive

American  

[kon-sti-too-tiv, -tyoo-] / ˈkɒn stɪˌtu tɪv, -ˌtyu- /

adjective

1. constituent; making a thing what it is; essential.

2. having power to establish or enact.

3. Physics, Chemistry. pertaining to a molecular property determined primarily by the arrangement of atoms in the molecule rather than by their nature or number.

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constitutive British  

/ ˈkɒnstɪˌtjuːtɪv /

adjective

1. having power to enact, appoint, or establish

2. chem (of a physical property) determined by the arrangement of atoms in a molecule rather than by their nature

3. biochem (of an enzyme) formed continuously, irrespective of the cell's needs

4. another word for constituent

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Other Word Forms

• constitutively
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of constitutive

First recorded in 1585–95; constitute + -ive

Explanation

The word constitutive describes an essential part of a whole, especially physical makeup. Without its constitutive engine, steering wheel, and tires, you don’t really have a car; it's just a box with seats. Just like a government may be based on its constitution, a whole is based on its constitutive parts. Something that is constitutive may also be necessary for a whole to work correctly. Participate in a 24-hour dance-a-thon, and you’ll likely find your legs are constitutive to your success. Constitutive is one of those words that has both general and scientific uses; you might see other senses of the word in both chemistry and biology books.

Example Sentences

But the statute is equally important at the local level, where most Section 2 litigation plays out and where its constitutive value is more apparent.

From Slate • Oct. 10, 2025

"We shall always support anything that all three constitutive peoples agree upon," Vucic said, referring to Bosnia's Orthodox Serbs, Catholic Croats and Muslim Bosniaks.

From Reuters • Apr. 15, 2023

The trp operon is constitutive and remains ON by default, whereas the lac operon is repressible and therefore is OFF by default.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

Of course, there are leakages and these are often where the most interesting thinking happens, but this partitioning of the world is constitutive of any university discipline.

From The Guardian • Apr. 27, 2018

Is genius the sole constitutive element of greatness, or with what other elements, and in what relations to them, is it combined?

From The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll, Vol. 6 (of 12) Dresden Edition?Discussions by Ingersoll, Robert Green