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definitions

instruction

[ in-struhk-shuhn ]
/ ɪnˈstrʌk ʃən /
||
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR instruction ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the act or practice of instructing or teaching; education.
knowledge or information imparted.
an item of such knowledge or information.
Usually instructions. orders or directions: The instructions are on the back of the box.
the act of furnishing with authoritative directions.
Computers. a command given to a computer to carry out a particular operation.

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RELATED WORDS

discipline, information, direction, guidance, training, schooling, preparation, teaching, lesson, directive, advice, plan, mandate, order, ruling, tuition, enlightenment, tutelage, edification, coaching

Nearby words

  1. institutive,
  2. institutor,
  3. instr.,
  4. instroke,
  5. instruct,
  6. instructional,
  7. instructions,
  8. instructive,
  9. instructively,
  10. instructor

Origin of instruction

1375–1425; late Middle English instruccio(u)n < Latin instructiōn- (stem of instructiō). See instruct, -ion
Related forms
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for instructions

British Dictionary definitions for instructions (1 of 2)

instructions

/ (ɪnˈstrʌkʃənz) /

pl n

directions, orders, or recommended rules for guidance, use, etc
law the facts and details relating to a case given by a client to his solicitor or by a solicitor to a barrister with directions to conduct the caseto take instructions

British Dictionary definitions for instructions (2 of 2)

instruction

/ (ɪnˈstrʌkʃən) /

noun

a direction; order
the process or act of imparting knowledge; teaching; education
computing a part of a program consisting of a coded command to the computer to perform a specified function
Derived Formsinstructional, adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for instructions

instruction

n.

c.1400, instruccioun, "action or process of teaching," from Old French instruccion (14c.), from Latin instructionem (nominative instructio) "building, arrangement, teaching," from past participle stem of instruere "arrange, inform, teach," from in- "on" (see in- (2)) + struere "to pile, build" (see structure (n.)). Meaning "an authoritative direction telling someone what to do; a document giving such directions," is early 15c. Related: Instructions.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper

Science definitions for instructions

instruction

[ ĭn-strŭk′shən ]

A sequence of bits that tells a computer's central processing unit to perform a particular operation. An instruction can also contain data to be used in the operation.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.