the system of fundamental principles according to which a nation, state, corporation, or the like, is governed.
the document embodying these principles.
(initial capital letter) Constitution of the United States.
the way in which a thing is composed or made up; makeup; composition.
the chemical constitution of the cleanser.
the physical character of the body as to strength, health, etc..
He has a strong constitution.
Medicine/Medical, Psychology. the aggregate of a person's physical and psychological characteristics.
the act or process of constituting; establishment.
the state of being constituted; formation.
any established arrangement or custom.
Archaic. character or condition of mind; disposition; temperament.
the act of constituting or state of being constituted
the way in which a thing is composed; physical make-up; structure
the fundamental political principles on which a state is governed, esp when considered as embodying the rights of the subjects of that state
(often capital) (in certain countries, esp Australia and the US) a statute embodying such principles
a person's state of health
a person's disposition of mind; temperament
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English constitucion “edict, ordinance,” from Anglo-French, from Latin constitūtiōn-, stem of constitūtiō “an appointing, establishing”; see constitute, -ion
A constitution is a statement of the basic principles and laws of a nation, state, or group, such as the U.S. Constitution. Another very common meaning of constitution is the physical makeup of a person. The noun constitution is from Latin, from constitutus, "set up, established," plus the suffix -ion, meaning "act, state, or condition." So think of a constitution as how a body (yours, the government's) is set up. If you have a strong constitution, it means you don't get sick very often.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
What caught my eye as a scholar interested in popular constitutionalism was the way freed people made direct claims on the text of the state constitution.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
In the absence of a formal constitution, Israel has built an informal system of checks and balances—the judiciary, the military, the intelligence services and the press.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
While slavery is banned under its 1945 constitution, written when the country broke free from Dutch colonial rule, some traditional customs are tolerated.
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
Two years later, Kansans amended the state constitution to change how justices reach the bench.
From Slate ● Jul. 8, 2026
Dr. Xuma felt threatened by our delegation and strongly objected to a Youth League constitution.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Constitution protects the right to freedom of speech.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
Constitution, although since the 1970s federal lawmakers have given city politicians wide latitude via “home rule.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
It also provided an early lesson in how justices can uphold the fundamental principles of the Constitution despite intense opposition in much of the nation.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026
That debate over the declaration helped engender the equal citizenship amendments added to the 1789 Constitution at the Civil War’s end—specifically, as the Supreme Court recounts, in the 14th Amendment’s first sentence repudiating Dred Scott.
From Slate ● Jul. 24, 2026
Martin was perhaps the first public advocate of the “covenant with death” interpretation of the Constitution, as well as the first former delegate to denounce the Sectional Compromise as a corrupt bargain.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
States have a “wide degree of discretion” to design their tax systems — including how they define income — so long as they do not violate their constitutions, Jurow Kleiman said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026
In response to the decree, the Kurdish administration in Syria's north and north-east said it was "a first step" but called for "permanent constitutions that express the will of the people", rather than "temporary decrees".
From BBC ● Jan. 17, 2026
It added that "rights are not protected by temporary decrees, but... through permanent constitutions that express the will of the people and all components" of society.
From Barron's ● Jan. 17, 2026
So people have to write these state constitutions.
From Slate ● Sep. 8, 2025
Nomadic bands that stalked wild sheep gradually altered the constitutions of the herds on which they preyed.
From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari
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.
