construction

[ kuhn-struhk-shuhn ]

noun

1. the act or art of constructing.
2. the way in which a thing is constructed:

   a building of solid construction.

3. something that is constructed; a structure.
4. the occupation or industry of building:

   He works in construction.

5. Grammar.
   1. the arrangement of two or more forms in a grammatical unit. Constructions involving bound forms are often called morphological, as the bound forms fif- and -teen. Those involving only free forms are often called syntactic, as the good man, in the house. Compare bound form, free form.
   2. a word or phrase consisting of two or more forms arranged in a particular way.
   3. a group of words or morphemes for which there is a rule in some part of the grammar.
6. explanation or interpretation, as of a law, a text, or an action.

   Synonyms: story, rendition, version

construction

/ kənˈstrʌkʃən /

noun

1. the process or act of constructing or manner in which a thing is constructed
2. the thing constructed; a structure
3. 1. the business or work of building dwellings, offices, etc
   2. ( as modifier )

      a construction site

4. an interpretation or explanation of a law, text, action, etc

   they put a sympathetic construction on her behaviour

5. grammar a group of words that together make up one of the constituents into which a sentence may be analysed; a phrase or clause
6. geometry a drawing of a line, angle, or figure satisfying certain conditions, used in solving a problem or proving a theorem
7. an abstract work of art in three dimensions or relief See also constructivism

Derived Forms

• conˈstructionally, adverb
• conˈstructional, adjective

Other Words From

• con·struction·al adjective
• con·struction·al·ly adverb
• precon·struction noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of construction¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin constrūctiōn-, stem of constrūctiō “placement together, building,” from constrūct(us) “put together” ( construct ) + -iō -ion

Example Sentences

The NOPD fired Knight in 1973 for stealing lumber from a construction site as an off-duty cop.

From The Daily Beast

By the end of the construction period, the number of deaths had reached roughly twenty percent of the workforce.

From The Daily Beast

Tonn and Blank Construction An Indiana construction company.

From The Daily Beast

A Minnesota based agricultural/industrial construction company.

From The Daily Beast

Encompass Develop, Design Construct, LLC A Kentucky-based architect, design and construction service.

From The Daily Beast

If one has thoughts to express, it is possible to learn very soon some method of construction.

From Project Gutenberg

He simply devoured books, studying every detail of construction, and learning a great deal as to style and effect.

From Project Gutenberg

The two lines are as closely connected as grammatical construction and the expression of thought could make them.

From Project Gutenberg

The day was won, the carriages secure, and the order for their construction was placed with a firm in Birmingham.

From Project Gutenberg

It was, therefore, more in the construction and workmanship then, that the sign manual was perceptible.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• development
• manufacture
• plan
• planning
• structure
• system