constitute
English
editEtymology
editFrom Middle English constituten, from Latin cōnstitūtum, neuter of cōnstitūtus, past participle of Latin cōnstituō (“to put in place; set up; establish”), from con- (“with”) + statuō (“to put up; establish”).
Pronunciation
edit- (UK) IPA(key): /ˈkɒnstɪtjuːt/
- (US, Canada) IPA(key): /ˈkɑnstɪt(j)uːt/
- (General Australian) IPA(key): /ˈkɔnstɪtjʉːt/
Verb
editconstitute (third-person singular simple present constitutes, present participle constituting, simple past and past participle constituted)
- (transitive) To set up; to establish; to enact.
- 1651, Jer[emy] Taylor, The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living. […], 2nd edition, London: […] Francis Ashe […], →OCLC:
- Laws appointed and constituted by lawful authority.
- (transitive) To make up; to compose; to form.
- 1779–81, Samuel Johnson, "Abraham Cowley" in Lives of the Most Eminent English Poet
- Truth and reason constitute that intellectual gold that defies destruction.
- 1980, AA Book of British Villages, Drive Publications Ltd, page 288:
- Atlantic gales constantly buffet Morwenstow, whose seven hamlets together constitute Cornwall's most northerly parish. The village is dotted with trees moulded into weird shapes by the wind, and above the trees rise the vicarage chimneystacks resembling miniature church towers.
- 1779–81, Samuel Johnson, "Abraham Cowley" in Lives of the Most Eminent English Poet
- (transitive) To appoint, depute, or elect to an office; to make and empower.
- 1814, William Wordsworth, The Excursion:
- Me didst Thou constitute a priest of thine.
Synonyms
editDerived terms
editRelated terms
editTranslations
editto cause to stand; to establish; to enact
|
to make up; to compose; to form
|
to appoint, depute, or elect to an office; to make and empower
|
Noun
editconstitute (plural constitutes)
- (obsolete) An established law.
- 1569, Thomas Preston, Cambyses:
- A naughty man that will not obey the kings constitute.
References
edit- “constitute”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
Further reading
edit- “constitute”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
- William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin E[li] Smith, editors (1911), “constitute”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC.
Latin
editNoun
editcōnstitūte
References
edit- "constitute", in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
Scots
editVerb
editconstitute (third-person singular simple present constitutes, present participle constitutein, simple past constitutet, past participle constitutet)
- To constitute.
Categories:
- English terms inherited from Middle English
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms derived from Latin
- English 3-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio pronunciation
- English lemmas
- English verbs
- English transitive verbs
- English terms with quotations
- English nouns
- English countable nouns
- English terms with obsolete senses
- Latin non-lemma forms
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- Scots lemmas
- Scots verbs