the system of fundamental principles according to which a nation, state, corporation, or the like, is governed.
the document embodying these principles.
(initial capital letter) Constitution of the United States.
the way in which a thing is composed or made up; makeup; composition.
the chemical constitution of the cleanser.
the physical character of the body as to strength, health, etc..
He has a strong constitution.
Medicine/Medical, Psychology. the aggregate of a person's physical and psychological characteristics.
the act or process of constituting; establishment.
the state of being constituted; formation.
any established arrangement or custom.
Archaic. character or condition of mind; disposition; temperament.
the act of constituting or state of being constituted
the way in which a thing is composed; physical make-up; structure
the fundamental political principles on which a state is governed, esp when considered as embodying the rights of the subjects of that state
(often capital) (in certain countries, esp Australia and the US) a statute embodying such principles
a person's state of health
a person's disposition of mind; temperament
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English constitucion “edict, ordinance,” from Anglo-French, from Latin constitūtiōn-, stem of constitūtiō “an appointing, establishing”; see constitute, -ion
A constitution is a statement of the basic principles and laws of a nation, state, or group, such as the U.S. Constitution. Another very common meaning of constitution is the physical makeup of a person. The noun constitution is from Latin, from constitutus, "set up, established," plus the suffix -ion, meaning "act, state, or condition." So think of a constitution as how a body (yours, the government's) is set up. If you have a strong constitution, it means you don't get sick very often.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
What caught my eye as a scholar interested in popular constitutionalism was the way freed people made direct claims on the text of the state constitution.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
He has faced criticism for dismissing former prime minister Trovoada in January 2025, a move ruled one year later to be contrary to the constitution.
From Barron's ● Jul. 19, 2026
The amendment follows years of conflict between the Legislature and the judiciary over Kansans’ rights under the state constitution.
From Slate ● Jul. 8, 2026
Officials are required by the state constitution to let the public swim, fish and collect seaweed along the state’s 400 miles of coastline.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
“Thank you, I will. Come Amy.” and Jo brought the visit to an end, feeling more strongly than ever that calls did have a bad effect upon her constitution.
From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott
Constitution protects the right to freedom of speech.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
Constitution, although since the 1970s federal lawmakers have given city politicians wide latitude via “home rule.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
The goal, he wrote, was “a decent society in which the Constitution and the rule of law treat all with dignity and equality.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026
This first installment grapples with the question of whether “we the people” can restore our power to interpret the Constitution.
From Slate ● Jul. 23, 2026
Constitution off a postage stamp, and when I got two weeks behind on that, I had two more weeks of newspapers to pick up.
From "It’s Kind of a Funny Story" by Ned Vizzini
While France and the U.S. invoked the Enlightenment in their founding principles and constitutions, Germany built its postwar institutions on the memory of the Shoah.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
States have a “wide degree of discretion” to design their tax systems — including how they define income — so long as they do not violate their constitutions, Jurow Kleiman said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026
It was far more prominent in the discussions in the Constitutional Convention and in early state constitutions than the freedom of speech.
From Slate ● Feb. 24, 2026
In response to the decree, the Kurdish administration in Syria's north and north-east said it was "a first step" but called for "permanent constitutions that express the will of the people", rather than "temporary decrees".
From BBC ● Jan. 17, 2026
The automobiles’ delicate constitutions and general faintheartedness soon became a source of scorn.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
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.
