institute

American  

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

verb (used with object)

instituted, instituting

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

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
• reinstitute
  verb (used with object)
• uninstituted
  adjective
• well-instituted
  adjective

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

"What we didn't expect to find was yeast," lead study author Mohamed Sarhan of the Eurac Research institute in the Italian city of Bolzano told AFP.

From Barron's • Jun. 3, 2026

Despite inconsistent results - six wins, two draws and three defeats in his initial 11 matches - recent research from Quaest, a leading polling institute, found most Brazilians trust him.

From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026

That makes the possibility of another Garden Grove incident a matter of “if,” not when, said Seth Shonkoff, executive director at the science research institute PSE Healthy Energy.

From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 2026

In spring 2025, when Kelly Monahan was managing director of Upwork’s research institute, the work marketplace generated digital humans for her and a colleague.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026

In 1984, when his research institute fell under new management, Feldman took a look at his future and grimaced.

From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt

Related Words

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