institute

American  

[in-sti-toot, -tyoot] / ˈɪn stɪˌtut, -ˌtjut /

verb (used with object)

institutes, present (3rd person singular) instituted, past participle, past instituting present participle

1. to set up; establish; organize.

   to institute a government.

2. to inaugurate; initiate; start.

   to institute a new course in American literature.

3. to set in operation.

   to institute a lawsuit.

4. to bring into use or practice.

   to institute laws.

5. to establish in an office or position.

6. Ecclesiastical. to assign to or invest with a spiritual charge, as of a parish.

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noun

institutes plural

1. a society or organization for carrying on a particular work, as of a literary, scientific, or educational character.

2. the building occupied by such a society.

3. Education.

   1. an institution, generally beyond the secondary school level, devoted to instruction in technical subjects, usually separate but sometimes organized as a part of a university.

   2. a unit within a university organized for advanced instruction and research in a relatively narrow field of subject matter.

   3. a short instructional program set up for a special group interested in a specialized field or subject.

4. an established principle, law, custom, or organization.

5. institutes,

   1. an elementary textbook of law designed for beginners.

   2. Also called Institutes of Justinian.  (initial capital letter) an elementary treatise on Roman law in four books, forming one of the four divisions of the Corpus Juris Civilis.

6. something instituted.

institute British  

/ ˈɪnstɪˌtjuːt /

verb

1. to organize; establish

2. to initiate

   to institute a practice

3. to establish in a position or office; induct

4. to install (a clergyman) in a church

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noun

1. an organization founded for particular work, such as education, promotion of the arts, or scientific research

2. the building where such an organization is situated

3. something instituted, esp a rule, custom, or precedent

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• institutor
  noun
• uninstituted
  adjective
• well-instituted
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• institutes
  plural

Participles

• instituting
  present
• instituted
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• institute
  simple
• institutes
  simple
• have instituted
  perfect
• has instituted
  perfect
• am instituting
  progressive
• are instituting
  progressive
• is instituting
  progressive
• have been instituting
  perfect progressive
• has been instituting
  perfect progressive

Past

• instituted
  simple
• had instituted
  perfect
• was instituting
  progressive
• were instituting
  progressive
• had been instituting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will institute
  simple
• will have instituted
  perfect
• will be instituting
  progressive
• will have been instituting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of institute

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English, from Latin institūtus, past participle of instituere “to set, put up, establish,” equivalent to in- ”in” + -stitū- (combining form of statū-, stem of statuere “to place upright, set, stand” ) + -tus past participle suffix; see in- ², stand

Explanation

An institute is an organization or association designed to study or promote something. If you're interested in politics, you might want to do an internship at one of Washington D.C.'s many political research institutes. While you may have heard of an institute, whether it’s the National Institute for Art Advancement or the National Cancer Institute, you may not know institute in its verb form. To institute something means to establish or advance it. You might institute the hiring of Spanish-speakers at your company, or, if workers complain about being overworked, you might institute a new policy on taking breaks.

Example Sentences

If approved, half of the funding would go toward the creation of a new immunology and immunotherapy research institute affiliated with the University of California.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 6, 2026

"We were told to not speak about it. Please ask others," said a lady at a flight training institute in Beijing.

From BBC • Jun. 30, 2026

He also pointed to the inequity the institute is designed to address: At elite private universities with similar institutes, students benefit from informal access to former officeholders and well-funded internship and job pipelines.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 29, 2026

The University of California, Berkeley plans to launch a new institute named for Nancy Pelosi and intended to strengthen democracy.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 29, 2026

We institute a layaway plan so people can buy more expensive items in installments.

From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline

Related Words

• appoint
• come up with
• create
• enact
• establish
• inaugurate
• initiate
• install
• introduce
• launch
• organize
• set up