constitution
Other forms: constitutions
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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the act of forming or establishing something“the constitution of a PTA group last year”synonyms: establishment, formation, organisation, organizationtypes:collectivisation, collectivizationthe organization of a nation or economy on the basis of collectivismfederationthe act of constituting a political unity out of a number of separate states or colonies or provinces so that each member retains the management of its internal affairsincorporationthe act or process of establishing a city or organization as a legal entitypopulationthe act of populating (causing to live in a place)type of:
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law determining the fundamental political principles of a governmentsynonyms: fundamental law, organic lawexamples:Constitution of the United Statesthe constitution written at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787 and subsequently ratified by the original thirteen statestype of:lawlegal document setting forth rules governing a particular kind of activity
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the way in which someone or something is composedsynonyms: composition, make-up, makeup, physical compositiontypes:structurethe manner of construction of something and the arrangement of its partsphenotypewhat an organism looks like as a consequence of the interaction of its genotype and the environmentgrain, texturethe physical composition of something (especially with respect to the size and shape of the small constituents of a substance)karyotypethe appearance of the chromosomal makeup of a somatic cell in an individual or species (including the number and arrangement and size and structure of the chromosomes)architecture, computer architecture(computer science) the structure and organization of a computer's hardware or system softwaretype of:propertya basic or essential attribute shared by all members of a class
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Vocabulary lists containing constitution
This introduction to the United States Constitution lays out the foundational principles of the nation. Read the full text here.
Learn these words to better understand the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution ratified by Congress on December 15, 1791. Read the full text here.
Love of country is a powerful motivating force, leading us to vote, advocate, protest peacefully, and otherwise engage as citizens in an ongoing effort to improve our society. Learn this list and let your vocabulary flag fly!