construction

[kuhn-struhk-shuhn]

noun

1. the act or art of constructing.

2. the way in which a thing is constructed.

   a building of solid construction.

3. something that is constructed; a structure.

4. the occupation or industry of building.

   He works in construction.

5. Grammar.

   1. the arrangement of two or more forms in a grammatical unit. Constructions involving bound forms are often called morphological, as the bound forms fif- and -teen. Those involving only free forms are often called syntactic, as the good man, in the house.

   2. a word or phrase consisting of two or more forms arranged in a particular way.

   3. a group of words or morphemes for which there is a rule in some part of the grammar.

6. explanation or interpretation, as of a law, a text, or an action.

   Synonyms: story, rendition, version

construction

/ kənˈstrʌkʃən /

noun

1. the process or act of constructing or manner in which a thing is constructed

2. the thing constructed; a structure

3. 1. the business or work of building dwellings, offices, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      a construction site

4. an interpretation or explanation of a law, text, action, etc

   they put a sympathetic construction on her behaviour

5. grammar a group of words that together make up one of the constituents into which a sentence may be analysed; a phrase or clause

6. geometry a drawing of a line, angle, or figure satisfying certain conditions, used in solving a problem or proving a theorem

7. an abstract work of art in three dimensions or relief See also constructivism

Other Word Forms

• constructionally adverb
• constructional adjective
• preconstruction noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of construction¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin constrūctiōn-, stem of constrūctiō “placement together, building,” from constrūct(us) “put together” ( construct ) + -iō -ion

Example Sentences

He has also overseen major road construction across the country.

From BBC

He’d been able to save some money from working construction jobs and parlayed that into a chance to build a retail business, lugging suitcases of exotic couture from Europe back to Los Angeles by himself.

From Los Angeles Times

This project is estimated to be worth £11bn and could create thousands of high-skilled construction jobs, as well as permanent jobs in long-term operations.

From BBC

But since then he said the sector had faced a "number of headwinds" including the cost of living crisis and "significant" construction inflation.

From BBC

McColl's firm invested £28m, replacing or renovating old buildings and installing new cranes, but that journey towards becoming a 21st Century shipyard foundered as construction of the big gas-powered ferries ran into the sand.

From BBC

Related Words

• development 
• manufacture 
• plan 
• planning 
• structure 
• system