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”).
Pronunciation
editVerb
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.
- 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
editRelated terms
editTranslations
editto cause to stand; to establish; to enact
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to make up; to compose; to form
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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.
- “constitute”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →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.
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- English terms derived from Latin
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