constitute

[ kon-sti-toot, -tyoot ]

verb (used with object)

, con·sti·tut·ed, con·sti·tut·ing.

1. to compose; form:

   mortar constituted of lime and sand.

2. to appoint to an office or function; make or create:

   He was constituted treasurer.

3. to establish (laws, an institution, etc.).

   Synonyms: commission, institute

4. to give legal form to (an assembly, court, etc.).
5. to create or be tantamount to:

   Imports constitute a challenge to local goods.

6. Archaic. to set or place.

constitute

/ ˈkɒnstɪˌtjuːt /

verb

1. to make up; form; compose

   the people who constitute a jury

2. to appoint to an office or function

   a legally constituted officer

3. to set up (a school or other institution) formally; found
4. law to give legal form to (a court, assembly, etc)
5. obsolete.
   law to set up or enact (a law)

Derived Forms

• ˈconstiˌtuter, noun

Other Words From

• consti·tuter consti·tutor noun
• non·consti·tuted adjective
• pre·consti·tute verb (used with object) preconstituted preconstituting
• self-consti·tuted adjective
• self-consti·tuting adjective
• un·consti·tuted adjective
• well-consti·tuted adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of constitute¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin constitūtus, past participle of constituere “to set up, found”; constituent

Word History and Origins

Origin of constitute¹

C15: from Latin constituere, from com- (intensive) + statuere to place

Example Sentences

Once-tight siblings I know now feel distant and guarded, their worldviews suddenly so opposed that they can’t even agree on what constitutes a fact.

From Washington Post

Besides, it’s not really on you to determine what constitutes damage in this case.

From Outside Online

Rodriguez-Kennedy and Schumacher said they thought soliciting those desired appointments could constitute a Brown Act violation.

From Voice of San Diego

There may be Republicans who’d like to vote to convict if the vote were conducted in private, but it is almost certainly not a group that constitutes 31 of the 50 Republicans in the Senate.

From Washington Post

A group of parents sued the West Ada teachers union, claiming that the walk-out constituted an illegal strike and that it caused undue emotional and financial stress on families.

From Time

No longer does it constitute a reliable, middle class-based alternative to the corporatist mindset of the Republicans.

From The Daily Beast

Kim Jung-un clearly recognizes that Hollywood and American popular culture in general constitute a dire threat.

From The Daily Beast

The reviews in themselves constitute a demonstration of why the regime restricts the Internet.

From The Daily Beast

Under that definition, forced kissing can certainly constitute as a form of sexual assault.

From The Daily Beast

This will constitute a major victory for the forces of light, one very much worth marking and thinking back over.

From The Daily Beast

We can thus disregard the first 16 and consider only the last two figures which constitute the fraction of a century.

From Project Gutenberg

Cherry-tree stems, under the name of agriots, constitute a specialty of Austrian manufacture.

From Project Gutenberg

In myelogenous leukemia myelocytes usually constitute more than 20 per cent.

From Project Gutenberg

The blessings of time and eternity constitute the part of the promise offered to believers, through Christ.

From Project Gutenberg

In the preceding chapter we have endeavoured to solve the question what are the qualities that constitute good tone.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• create
• establish