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erection

American  
[ih-rek-shuhn] / ɪˈrɛk ʃən /

noun

  1. the act of erecting.

  2. the state of being erected.

  3. something erected, as a building or other structure.

  4. Physiology. a distended and rigid state of an organ or part containing erectile tissue, especially of the penis or the clitoris.

erection British  
/ ɪˈrɛkʃən /

noun

  1. the act of erecting or the state of being erected

  2. something that has been erected; a building or construction

  3. physiol the enlarged state or condition of erectile tissues or organs, esp the penis, when filled with blood

  4. an erect penis

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • nonerection noun
  • preerection noun
  • reerection noun

Etymology

Origin of erection

First recorded in 1495–1505, erection is from the Late Latin word ērēctiōn- (stem of ērēctiō ). See erect, -ion

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Not just with the erection of the fence in Hungary but, among several examples, the deployment of riot police in Croatia, and migrants being detained in Slovenia.

From BBC • Sep. 3, 2025

Dr. Sarah Furness, the Lord-Lieutenant of Rutland, commissioned the statue's erection after the queen's death.

From Salon • Apr. 23, 2024

The erection of several wind turbines is viewed by the Golan villagers as an encroachment.

From Reuters • Jun. 21, 2023

“The erection of the barricades in the roads is an unlawful and unacceptable act that will not be tolerated,” Kurti said.

From Washington Times • Dec. 28, 2022

The erection of Sing Sing offered a spectacle of total control.

From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.