institution

[in-sti-too-shuhn, -tyoo-]

noun

1. 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.

2. the building occupied by such an establishment.

3. a public or private place for the care or confinement of inmates, especially mental patients or other persons with physical or mental disabilities.

4. 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.

5. any established law, custom, etc.

6. any familiar, long-established person, thing, or practice; fixture.

7. the act of instituting or setting up; establishment.

   the institution of laws.

8. Ecclesiastical.

   1. the origination of the Eucharist, and enactment of its observance, by Christ.

   2. the investment of a member of the clergy with a spiritual charge.

institution

/ ˌɪnstɪˈtjuːʃən /

noun

1. the act of instituting

2. an organization or establishment founded for a specific purpose, such as a hospital, church, company, or college

3. the building where such an organization is situated

4. an established custom, law, or relationship in a society or community

5. 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

6. informal,  a constant feature or practice

   Jones' drink at the bar was an institution

7. the appointment or admission of an incumbent to an ecclesiastical office or pastoral charge

8. Christian theol the creation of a sacrament by Christ, esp the Eucharist

Other Word Forms

• counterinstitution noun
• noninstitution noun
• reinstitution noun
• institutionary adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of institution¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin institūtiōn-, stem of institūtiō; equivalent to institute + -ion

Example Sentences

A money laundering report by a credit institution alerted investigators to the suspected theft.

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This structure—combined with its independent sources of funding and its reported record of abuses—posed a direct threat to Sudan’s stability and to the unity of our national institutions.

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Federal prosecutors charged James with bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution.

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Far from limiting itself to bibliographic endeavors, the library began to think of itself as a research institution in the late 19th century, thanks to librarians of Congress Ainsworth Rand Spofford and Herbert Putnam.

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Twenty-five of the exhibition’s more than 120 works come from the two neighboring institutions, while the rest are loans gathered from the artist’s estate and museum and private collections.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• academy 
• association 
• business 
• clinic 
• company 
• establishment 
• foundation 
• hospital 
• institute 
• school 
• society 
• system 
• university