construct

[kuhn-struhkt, kon-struhkt]

verb (used with object)

1. to build or form by putting together parts; frame; devise.

   Synonyms: form, erect

2. Geometry.,  to draw (a figure) fulfilling certain given conditions.

noun

1. something constructed.

   Each musical note sign is a construct of three distinct parts: the head, the stem, and the hook.

2. a mental image, idea, or theory, especially a complex one formed from a number of simpler elements.

   Character is a construct of personal values, personal rules and morals, and a number of other facets, including self-control and willpower.

construct

verb

1. to put together substances or parts, esp systematically, in order to make or build (a building, bridge, etc); assemble

2. to compose or frame mentally (an argument, sentence, etc)

3. geometry to draw (a line, angle, or figure) so that certain requirements are satisfied

noun

1. something formulated or built systematically

2. a complex idea resulting from a synthesis of simpler ideas

3. psychol a model devised on the basis of observation, designed to relate what is observed to some theoretical framework

Other Word Forms

• constructible adjective
• overconstruct verb (used with object)
• preconstruct verb (used with object)
• quasi-constructed adjective
• well-constructed adjective
• constructor noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of construct¹

First recorded in 1400–50 for earlier past participle sense; 1655–65 for current senses; late Middle English, from Latin constrūctus (past participle of construere “to construe ”), equivalent to con- con- + strūc- (variant stem of struere “to build”) + -tus past participle suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of construct¹

C17: from Latin constructus piled up, from construere to heap together, build, from struere to arrange, erect

Synonym Study

See make ¹.

Example Sentences

They constructed a 35-mile earthen berm around the city in an attempt to encircle its one million residents.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

She has a preternatural belief in her own instincts and a boundless curiosity that, taken together, help explain the extraordinarily rich life and oeuvre she’s constructed.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The country is the ideal place to expand AI infrastructure, according to the Nvidia CEO, because of its access to energy and land, and its ability to construct factories.

Read more on BBC

The construct of volatility derivatives is back to a fully bullish position for stocks as well.

Read more on MarketWatch

"My concern is that his current approach as president is incoherent, inconsistent, and his team is not constructed or managed in a way that can follow through on his best intentions."

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• build up 
• compose 
• create 
• design 
• erect 
• establish 
• fashion 
• forge 
• form 
• formulate 
• found 
• manufacture 
• organize 
• produce 
• put up 
• set up 
• shape 

When To Use

What does construct mean?

To construct means to build or create by putting parts together, as in Val constructed a whole town out of toy building blocks.A construct is something that is created, often with a complex form.The verb form of construct, pronounced kuhn-struhkt, is most often used to refer to buildings and monuments being built, but it can be used in any situation where something is built or parts are combined. You can construct a meal, for example, out of ingredients in your refrigerator or construct an outfit out of articles of clothing in your closet.The noun form of construct, pronounced kon-struhkt, is anything that is built, either literally or figuratively. It is most often used figuratively to describe something that is made up of practices or ideas from a specific philosophy or school of thought. Constructs are often complex theories that are informed by many smaller ideas of the way things work.Example: The gas company tried to construct a new pipeline, but the pipes kept leaking.