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• establishment
  establishment

  noun

  the act or an instance of establishing.
• Establishment
  Establishment

  noun

  a group or class of people having institutional authority within a society, esp those who control the civil service, the government, the armed forces, and the Church: usually identified with a conservative outlook

establishment

American  

[ih-stab-lish-muhnt] / ɪˈstæb lɪʃ mənt /

noun

• establishments
  plural

1. the act or an instance of establishing.

2. the state or fact of being established.

3. something established; a constituted order or system.

4. Often the Establishment

   1. the existing power structure in society; the dominant groups in society and their customs or institutions; institutional authority.

      The Establishment believes exploring outer space is worth any tax money spent.

   2. the dominant group in a field of endeavor, organization, etc..

      the literary Establishment.

5. a household; place of residence including its furnishings, grounds, etc.

6. a place of business together with its employees, merchandise, equipment, etc.

7. a permanent civil, military, or other force or organization.

8. an institution, as a school, hospital, etc.

9. the recognition by a state of a church as the state church.

10. the church so recognized, especially the Church of England.

11. Archaic. a fixed or settled income.

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establishment ¹ British  

/ ɪˈstæblɪʃmənt /

noun

1. the act of establishing or state of being established

2. 1. a business organization or other large institution

   2. the place where a business is carried on

3. the staff and equipment of a commercial or other organization

4. the approved size, composition, and equipment of a military unit, government department, business division, etc, as formally promulgated

5. any large organization, institution, or system

6. a household or place of residence

7. a body of employees or servants

8. (modifier) belonging to or characteristic of the Establishment; orthodox or conservative

   the establishment view of history

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Establishment ² British  

/ ɪˈstæblɪʃmənt /

noun

1. a group or class of people having institutional authority within a society, esp those who control the civil service, the government, the armed forces, and the Church: usually identified with a conservative outlook

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Usage

What does establishment mean? Establishment commonly refers to the official start or founding of something, such as a law, business, or other organization, as in It has been 200 years since the establishment of this great nation. It is the noun form of the verb establish, which has many meanings but most commonly means to found, institute, or bring into being. Things that have been established are called establishments, especially businesses, as in I try to buy from local establishments whenever possible. Establishment is also used more specifically to refer collectively to the existing power structure in a society and its dominant institutions, as in That kind of radical thinking is frowned upon by the establishment. This use is often negative. It can also be used in a similar way to refer to the dominant group in a particular field, as in the medical establishment. In both of these cases, Establishment is often capitalized.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonestablishment
  noun
• reestablishment
  noun
• superestablishment
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• establishments
  plural

Etymology

Origin of establishment

First recorded in 1475–85, and in 1920–25 establishment for def. 4a; establish + -ment

Explanation

Kids were more comfortable in school after the establishment of a no-tolerance bullying policy in the cafeteria. Establishment means setting up or something that has been set up. In the 1960s, the youth movement took on what they called "the establishment," by which they meant the way society was set up and organized. Their sentiments could be summed up in a word that is rumored to be one of the longest in the English language, if it actually exists: disestablishmentarianism.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

establishment Establishment establishments

Say what you will about the Democratic establishment circa 2026.

From Slate ● Aug. 15, 2026

With the establishment last year of Indonesia's Danantara sovereign wealth fund to manage state assets, "we discovered that there are 1,074 state-owned enterprises," the president told lawmakers.

From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026

He suspended his campaign amid low poll numbers, then rejoined the race with less than a month before election day after establishment frontrunner Lt.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026

AFC is the largest military training establishment for under-19s in the UK and it receives all the Army's 16-year-old recruits.

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

The head teacher, the boss, the supreme commander of this establishment was a formidable middle-aged lady whose name was Miss Trunchbull.

From "Matilda" by Roald Dahl

Establishment of a new basing network in western Saudi Arabia wouldn’t have solved all problems.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 1, 2026

The Constitution has the Establishment Clause, which prohibits the government from “establishing” a national religion.

From Salon ● Dec. 17, 2024

The Edinburgh Fire Engine Establishment was the first fire brigade in the world paid for by the city, free to the public.

From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2024

Establishment of the public-private research center is a coup for Southern California that “will cement California’s global, economic, scientific and technical dominance into the 22nd century and beyond,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 4, 2024

They brought their protest songs and their demands to the Establishment, because the Establishment was in control.

From "One Crazy Summer" by Rita Williams-Garcia

The slicing and dicing of available tables can mean there are only so many seats at the most sought-after establishments, begetting a sense of scarcity at the highest levels.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

The Confederation of Businesses of Ceuta has advised shops and other commercial establishments to remain closed "until security can be guaranteed".

From Barron's ● Jul. 31, 2026

Two other Dana Point Harbor dining establishments will be relocating: Coco Bloom Coffee is moving to Newport Beach, and Frisby Cellars Winery will operate out of its location in Rancho Mission Viejo.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2026

Some establishments had plotted England's potential progress through the tournament and have already applied for and received an event notice.

From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026

In political organization, Polynesian islands ranged from landscapes divided into independent tribal or village units, up to multi-island proto-empires that devoted standing military establishments to invasions of other islands and wars of conquest.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

Related Words

• formation
• formulation
• founding
• inauguration
• installation
• institution