constitutional
Americanadjective
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of or relating to the constitution of a state, organization, etc.
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subject to the provisions of such a constitution.
a constitutional monarchy.
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provided by, in accordance with, or not prohibited by, such a constitution.
the constitutional powers of the president; a law held to be constitutional by the Supreme Court.
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belonging to or inherent in the character or makeup of a person's body or mind.
a constitutional weakness for sweets.
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pertaining to the constitution or composition of a thing; essential.
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beneficial to one's constitution; healthful.
constitutional exercise.
noun
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constitutionals
plural
adjective
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denoting, characteristic of, or relating to a constitution
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authorized by or subject to a constitution
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of or inherent in the physical make-up or basic nature of a person or thing
a constitutional weakness
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beneficial to one's general physical wellbeing
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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anticonstitutionaladjective
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hyperconstitutionaladjective
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nonconstitutionaladjective
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proconstitutionaladjective
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quasi-constitutionaladjective
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superconstitutionaladjective
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anticonstitutionallyadverb
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constitutionallyadverb
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hyperconstitutionallyadverb
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quasi-constitutionallyadverb
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superconstitutionallyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of constitutional
First recorded in 1675–85; constitution + -al 1
Explanation
Constitutional means having to do with the document that is the foundation of a government — in the US, a constitutional right is one provided to you by the US Constitution. If you break down constitutional, you’ll find the root word constitute, meaning "to make up or form." Constitution can refer to the document that forms (or organizes) the government. It can also refer to the structure of a thing, such as a species, or a person. If you go for a "constitutional walk" — in that sense, the word means having to do with your constitution or your health.
Vocabulary lists containing constitutional
Civics I
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"Tinker v. Des Moines": Excerpts from Justice Fortas's Opinion
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Florida EOC Civics
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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:
It alleged that state police improperly seized and searched Mangione's possessions, and did not properly advise him of his constitutional rights before questioning him.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
Some have questioned whether those arrangements are legal or even constitutional; they could be regarded as export taxes or duties, which are specifically prohibited by the Constitution, according to the Tax Policy Center.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
These are all examples of the active participation of the American people in deciding constitutional meaning.
From Slate ● Aug. 10, 2026
Glamorous actress Rouzaina Lazkani, 36, known for television dramas, was catapulted into politics when she was among the 70 lawmakers appointed by Sharaa under the country's transitional constitutional arrangements.
From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026
He wished to establish a precedent that clarified the constitutional ambiguities concerning the power of Congress over slavery.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
White would come and walk alongside Gita on many of those constitutionals.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 17, 2022
He talks us through his constitutionals and reveals what he found in pictures.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2021
Thinking of the geologist Brit Fredheim, and her evening constitutionals around the rig, I set off to walk Winner’s circumference.
From The Guardian ● May 2, 2017
For my father, William Styron, who died almost five years ago, daily constitutionals, both on the island and at his winter home in Connecticut, were crucial to his writing life.
From New York Times ● Aug. 12, 2011
He often took constitutionals with his dog, Spiro, an old gray-and- white shepherd mix that limped devotedly behind him on stiff arthritic hips.
From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee
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.
