structural
Americanadjective
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of or relating to structure; relating or essential to a structure.
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resulting from or relating to political or economic structure: structural inequalities;
structural reforms to the social safety net;
structural inequalities;
structural racism.
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Biology. relating to organic structure; morphological.
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Geology. of or relating to geological structure, as of rock or strata.
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Chemistry. relating to or showing the arrangement or mode of attachment of the atoms that constitute a molecule of a substance.
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of, relating to, or based on the assumption that the elements of a field of study are naturally arranged in a systematic structure.
structural grammar.
noun
adjective
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of, relating to, or having structure or a structure
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of, relating to, or forming part of the structure of a building
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of or relating to the structure and deformation of rocks and other features of the earth's crust
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of or relating to the structure of organisms; morphological
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chem of, concerned with, caused by, or involving the arrangement of atoms in molecules
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of structural
Explanation
When you're talking about something structural you're talking about the way it's built. The simple look of a building can mask its complex structural design. A skeleton is the structural framework of a body. While we all look different on the outside, for the most part, we all share the same structural components — we're built the same way. Some buildings, such as the Eiffel Tower, reveal their structural design completely. They are nothing but structure. Other buildings work hard to hide their structural qualities. You can discuss the structural nature of ideas too, as in "structural economics" or even human relationships.
Vocabulary lists containing structural
Latin Love, Vol I: struere
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Unit 3: Cellular Systems
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Architecture 101
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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.
Experts point to weak consumer demand linked to conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, but also blame structural weaknesses in the South Asian nation of 170 million people.
From Barron's ● Aug. 5, 2026
“The technical reset we have been waiting for has largely occurred. July did not change the structural bull market. It reset it.”
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 4, 2026
Because of the "structural fragility" of boats used to cross the Channel, it said they decided not to intervene further at that stage.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
These structural changes could eventually influence the material's electronic and physical behavior, although further research will be needed to determine their full effects.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 3, 2026
“Maybe even more if they find out there was structural damage.”
From "Amina's Voice" by Hena Khan
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.
