establishment
Americannoun
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the act or an instance of establishing.
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the state or fact of being established.
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something established; a constituted order or system.
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Often the Establishment
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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.
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the dominant group in a field of endeavor, organization, etc..
the literary Establishment.
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a household; place of residence including its furnishings, grounds, etc.
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a place of business together with its employees, merchandise, equipment, etc.
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a permanent civil, military, or other force or organization.
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an institution, as a school, hospital, etc.
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the recognition by a state of a church as the state church.
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the church so recognized, especially the Church of England.
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Archaic. a fixed or settled income.
noun
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the act of establishing or state of being established
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a business organization or other large institution
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the place where a business is carried on
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the staff and equipment of a commercial or other organization
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the approved size, composition, and equipment of a military unit, government department, business division, etc, as formally promulgated
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any large organization, institution, or system
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a household or place of residence
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a body of employees or servants
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(modifier) belonging to or characteristic of the Establishment; orthodox or conservative
the establishment view of history
noun
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
- nonestablishment noun
- reestablishment noun
- superestablishment noun
Etymology
Origin of establishment
First recorded in 1475–85, and in 1920–25 establishment for def. 4a; establish + -ment
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The shock from her win last year reverberated through the country-music establishment, with a mix of celebration and confusion as to what her historic achievement would mean for the genre.
From BBC
Rome had recalled its ambassador to Switzerland on Saturday, and on Monday said he would not return to Bern until Italy gets effective judicial cooperation and the establishment of a joint investigation team.
From Barron's
“Well, I’m Colin. Heir to this establishment. My brother’s my best mate. He’s an RAF pilot, risking his life to defend this country.”
From Literature
Iran is emerging from one of the most serious waves of domestic unrest since the establishment of the Islamic Republic in 1979.
From BBC
In 1973, wrestlers travelled to Beijing to celebrate the previous year's establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Mao Zedong's China.
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
