institution
Americannoun
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institutions
plural
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an organization, establishment, foundation, society, or the like, devoted to the promotion of a particular cause or program, especially one of a public, educational, or charitable character.
This college is the best institution of its kind.
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the building occupied by such an establishment.
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a public or private place for the care or confinement of inmates, especially mental patients or other persons with physical or mental disabilities.
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Sociology. a well-established and structured pattern of behavior or of relationships that is accepted as a fundamental part of a culture, as marriage.
the institution of the family.
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any established law, custom, etc.
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any familiar, long-established person, thing, or practice; fixture.
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the act of instituting or setting up; establishment.
the institution of laws.
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Ecclesiastical.
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the origination of the Eucharist, and enactment of its observance, by Christ.
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the investment of a member of the clergy with a spiritual charge.
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noun
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the act of instituting
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an organization or establishment founded for a specific purpose, such as a hospital, church, company, or college
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the building where such an organization is situated
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an established custom, law, or relationship in a society or community
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Also called: institutional investor. a large organization, such as an insurance company, bank, or pension fund, that has substantial sums to invest on a stock exchange
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informal a constant feature or practice
Jones' drink at the bar was an institution
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the appointment or admission of an incumbent to an ecclesiastical office or pastoral charge
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Christian theol the creation of a sacrament by Christ, esp the Eucharist
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of institution
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin institūtiōn-, stem of institūtiō; equivalent to institute + -ion
Explanation
Universities, banks, and hospitals are all institutions. Until you arrived at the bank, you'd forgotten that financial institutions were closed for the holiday. Thank goodness for the ATM! The noun institution also refers to a long held custom or practice in society. Even if your parents divorced when you were young, you might strongly believe in the institution of marriage. Or you might believe that once you enter the institution of marriage, your next stop will probably be a mental institution. Institution can also describe the act of putting something in place. The institution of new traffic rules — green means stop and red means go — caused a bit of confusion.
Vocabulary lists containing institution
Excerpts from "To Kill a Mockingbird"
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"Democracy in America, Vol. 1" by Alexis de Tocqueville, Introduction–Chapter 5
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Lincoln Inaugural Address (March 1861)
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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.
See Examples For:
Every institution with a half-century of history is.
From Salon ● Aug. 8, 2026
Supporters argue the bar is an irreplaceable cultural institution and a safe place for Spanish-speaking gay Latinos, transgender Latinas and working-class immigrants.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026
Wood also called for respect for those who had entered the competition, adding that "sarcasm and rudeness is for the playground, not for an institution like the Eisteddfod".
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
Your bank or financial institution may have a tool on its online portal that breaks down how you’re spending by category.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026
The core of the disagreement in the debate of 1790 revolved around different versions of what has come to be called America’s “original intentions,” more specifically what the Revolution meant for the institution of slavery.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
"Top universities cut entry grades as fewer foreign students apply" says the Sunday Times, reporting top institutions are becoming "more flexible" for students who miss their grades or apply during clearing.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
The company also is being asked to provide free broadband and Wi-Fi service for about 50 eligible institutions, including schools, libraries and community centers for several years.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2026
According to one former CIA officer, who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity, the group is one of the few institutions in Cuba's government with an interest in abandoning the decades-old communist economic model.
From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026
They no longer think those institutions can check them.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
By the middle of the twentieth century, abuses within mental institutions generated a lot of attention, and involuntary confinement of people became a significant problem.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
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.
