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• constitution
  constitution

  noun

  the system of fundamental principles according to which a nation, state, corporation, or the like, is governed.
• Constitution
  Constitution

  The fundamental law of the United States, drafted in Philadelphia in 1787 (see Constitutional Convention), ratified in 1788, and put into effect in 1789. It established a strong central government in place of the Articles of Confederation. (See Preamble to the Constitution.)

constitution

American  

[kon-sti-too-shuhn, -tyoo-] / ˌkɒn stɪˈtu ʃən, -ˈtju- /

noun

• constitutions
  plural

1. the system of fundamental principles according to which a nation, state, corporation, or the like, is governed.

2. the document embodying these principles.

3. (initial capital letter) Constitution of the United States.

4. the way in which a thing is composed or made up; makeup; composition.

   the chemical constitution of the cleanser.

5. the physical character of the body as to strength, health, etc..

   He has a strong constitution.

6. Medicine/Medical, Psychology. the aggregate of a person's physical and psychological characteristics.

7. the act or process of constituting; establishment.

8. the state of being constituted; formation.

9. any established arrangement or custom.

10. Archaic. character or condition of mind; disposition; temperament.

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constitution British  

/ ˌkɒnstɪˈtjuːʃən /

noun

1. the act of constituting or state of being constituted

2. the way in which a thing is composed; physical make-up; structure

3. the fundamental political principles on which a state is governed, esp when considered as embodying the rights of the subjects of that state

4. (often capital) (in certain countries, esp Australia and the US) a statute embodying such principles

5. a person's state of health

6. a person's disposition of mind; temperament

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Constitution ¹ Cultural  

1. The fundamental law of the United States, drafted in Philadelphia in 1787 (see Constitutional Convention), ratified in 1788, and put into effect in 1789. It established a strong central government in place of the Articles of Confederation. (See Preamble to the Constitution.)

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constitution ² Cultural  

1. A nation or state's fundamental set of laws. Most nations with constitutions have them in written form, such as the United States Constitution. The constitution of Britain, by contrast, is an informal set of traditions, based on several different laws.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• anticonstitution
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• constitutions
  plural

Etymology

Origin of constitution

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

Explanation

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

constitution Constitution constitutions

Daniel Schwarcz of the University of Minnesota Law School argued in a 2018 paper published in the Connecticut Insurance Law Journal that the arrangement violates nondelegation principles in every state constitution.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026

The constitution was changed in 1990 to give women the right to inherit the throne, so Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra is in line to be Norway's first female head of state since the 15th Century.

From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026

The elections were the first to be held under Kazakhstan's new constitution, which abolished the senate in favour of a new unicameral legislature and reset term limits that would have otherwise been imposed on Tokayev.

From Barron's ● Aug. 24, 2026

The constitution pledged “long-term growth and independence through the family’s control.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026

A month later, in July, the multiparty forum agreed on a first draft of an interim constitution.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

Any such payment would in any case require congressional authorization, as the US Constitution bars the president from spending Treasury funds without an appropriation made by law.

From Barron's ● Sep. 10, 2026

According to the indictment, the state Constitution provides “a means for citizens to bypass the state legislature and enact statutes and constitutional amendments directly through the initiative process.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2026

The Constitution created a federal republic consisting of states with equal legal status.

From Slate ● Sep. 8, 2026

“To the contrary, we have repeatedly held that mere offense, disagreement, or distaste does not qualify as a concrete and particularized injury under Article III” of the Constitution.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026

In her speeches, Anthony cited the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution, and the New York Constitution; she quoted American patriots.

From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling

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

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

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

They are free to rein in the state legislature as long as they cleave reasonably close to their state constitutions and do not step outside interpretation into pure improvisation.

From Slate ● Nov. 26, 2025

Before the Thunderhead, governments had constitutions and massive tomes of laws—yet even then, they were forever debated and challenged and manipulated.

From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman

Related Words

• charter
• code
• custom
• legislation