structural

[ struhk-cher-uhl ]

adjective

1. of or relating to structure; relating or essential to a structure.
2. resulting from or relating to political or economic structure: structural inequalities;

   structural reforms to the social safety net;

   structural inequalities;

   structural racism.

3. Biology. relating to organic structure; morphological.
4. Geology. of or relating to geological structure, as of rock or strata.
5. Chemistry. relating to or showing the arrangement or mode of attachment of the atoms that constitute a molecule of a substance. Compare structural formula.
6. of, relating to, or based on the assumption that the elements of a field of study are naturally arranged in a systematic structure:

   structural grammar.

noun

1. Building Trades.
   1. a part of a structure that carries a load.
   2. the structural member used for such a part.

structural

/ ˈstrʌktʃərəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or having structure or a structure
2. of, relating to, or forming part of the structure of a building
3. of or relating to the structure and deformation of rocks and other features of the earth's crust
4. of or relating to the structure of organisms; morphological
5. chem of, concerned with, caused by, or involving the arrangement of atoms in molecules

Derived Forms

• ˈstructurally, adverb

Other Words From

• struc·tur·al·ly adverb
• non·struc·tur·al adjective
• non·struc·tur·al·ly adverb
• un·struc·tur·al adjective
• un·struc·tur·al·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of structural¹

First recorded in 1825–35; structure + -al ¹

Example Sentences

Ben Olinsky, senior vice president of structural reform and governance at the liberal Center for American Progress, said that how the Senate handles this moment — where Trump is simultaneously putting forward deeply questionable candidates and demanding the Senate allow them to sail through without vetting — “will tell us a lot about what’s going to happen in the next couple of years.”

From Los Angeles Times

This theory elides the structural disadvantages of Detroit and other cities, but that doesn’t mean that voters won’t subscribe to it.

From Slate

DfI figures show there have been almost 120,000 road defects and potholes recorded in Northern Ireland since January this year, and structural maintenance expenditure has been increasing year on year.

From BBC

Structural maintenance includes resurfacing and reconstruction of roads and footways, as well as investment in both drainage infrastructure and in the structural stability of embankments.

From BBC

On Tuesday, Trump named Musk as one of the leaders of the "Department of Government Efficiency," an outside group Trump said will advise his administration on "large scale structural reform," according to The Associated Press.

From Salon

Related Words

• anatomical
• architectural
• basic
• constitutional
• skeletal