constitution

From Middle English constitucioun, from Old French constitucion (French constitution), from Latin cōnstitūtiō, cōnstitūtiōnem.

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

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Hyphenation: con‧sti‧tu‧tion

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. (dated) The general health of a person.
5. (dated) 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.

• (process of setting something up): configuration, form; see also Thesaurus:composition

• constitutional
• metaconstitution

• constitute
• constituent
• constituency
• constitutive

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

• IPA^(key): /kɔ̃s.ti.ty.sjɔ̃/

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔ̃
• Homophone: constitutions

constitution f (plural constitutions)

1. constitution

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

From Latin cōnstitūtiō, cōnstitūtiōnem.

• Audio (Jersey)

  (file)

constitution f (plural constitutions)

1. (Jersey) constitution