constitution

Etymology

Borrowed from Old French constitucion (French constitution), from Latin cōnstitūtiō, cōnstitūtiōnem.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌkɒnstɪˈtjuːʃən/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˌkɑnstɪˈtuʃən/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Hyphenation: con‧sti‧tu‧tion

Noun

constitution (plural constitutions)

1. The act, or process of setting something up, or establishing something; the composition or structure of such a thing; its makeup.
   • Sir J. Herschel

     the physical constitution of the sun

2. (government) The formal or informal system of primary principles and laws that regulates a government or other institutions.
   • Macaulay

     Our constitution had begun to exist in times when statesmen were not much accustomed to frame exact definitions.

3. (law) A legal document describing such a formal system.
4. The general health of a person.
5. A person's physique or temperament.
   • Story

     Our constitutions have never been enfeebled by the vices or luxuries of the old world.

   • Clarendon

     He defended himself with […] less passion than was expected from his constitution.

Etymology

From Old French constitucion, from Latin cōnstitūtiō, cōnstitūtiōnem. Morphologically, from constituer +‎ -tion.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kɔ̃s.ti.ty.sjɔ̃/
• Rhymes: -ɔ̃
• Homophone: constitutions

Noun

constitution f (plural constitutions)

1. constitution

Further reading

• “constitution” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Etymology

From Latin cōnstitūtiō, cōnstitūtiōnem.

Pronunciation

• Audio (Jersey)

  (file)

Noun

constitution f (plural constitutions)

1. (Jersey) constitution