institutional

[ in-sti-too-shuh-nl, -tyoo- ]

adjective

1. of or relating to organized establishments, foundations, societies, or the like, or to the buildings they occupy:

   The association offers an institutional membership discount to members of affiliated groups.

2. of the nature of an established organization or institution:

   institutional bureaucracy.

3. relating to or noting a policy, practice, or belief system that has been established as normative or customary throughout an institution or society, particularly as perpetuated in institutions of a public character, as schools, courts, or legislative bodies: institutional sexism in academia;

   institutional racism in the criminal justice system;

   institutional sexism in academia;

   institutional prejudice against members of the gay community.

4. characterized by the blandness, drabness, uniformity, and lack of individualized attention attributed to large institutions that serve many people:

   institutional food.

5. (of advertising) having as the primary object the establishment of goodwill and a favorable reputation rather than the immediate sale of the product.
6. relating to established principles or institutes, especially of jurisprudence.

institutional

/ ˌɪnstɪˈtjuːʃənəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of institutions
2. dull, routine, and uniform

   institutional meals

3. relating to principles or institutes, esp of law

Derived Forms

• ˌinstiˈtutionally, adverb

Other Words From

• in·sti·tu·tion·al·ly adverb
• an·ti-in·sti·tu·tion·al adjective
• an·ti-in·sti·tu·tion·al·ly adverb
• in·ter·in·sti·tu·tion·al adjective
• in·ter·in·sti·tu·tion·al·ly adverb
• non·in·sti·tu·tion·al adjective
• non·in·sti·tu·tion·al·ly adverb
• un·in·sti·tu·tion·al adjective
• un·in·sti·tu·tion·al·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of institutional¹

First recorded in 1610–20; institution + -al ¹

Example Sentences

This could all end with the Senate nominally preserving its institutional power by rubber-stamping Trump’s Cabinet of oddities.

From Salon

Like John Ashcroft, who was attorney general under George W. Bush, Sessions was a former partisan who took his institutional role and oath of office seriously once he became attorney general.

From Los Angeles Times

The killing and subsequent conversation about institutional racism, Brown continued, had forced him to consider how he could better promote “the value of diversity.”

From Salon

In America's federalist system, however, there is another institutional check on his power and that's the states.

From Salon

"As a serial entrepreneur, Musk has been relentless in trying to improve institutional efficiency at his own enterprises, most notably, Tesla and X," says Thomas Gift, a professor of US politics at University College London.

From BBC