Meanings
plural antistructures · alternative anti-structure
- countableuncountablehuman sciencesA sociocultural structure that intentionally counteracts the mainstream.
The narrative utility of the Trickster comes from his capacity to make possible the unexpected. He embodies the principle of anti-structure in that he escapes determination by established power relations, whereby for example, the fastest runner wins the race.
1983, Wendy Griswold, “The Devil's Techniques: Cultural Legitimation and Social Change”, in American Sociological Review, volume 48, number 5, page 669b–670a of 668–680
Origin
From anti- + structure, introduced by Victor Turner.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Finnish antirakenne, vastarakenne
- antirakennea sociocultural structure that intentionally counteracts the mainstream
- vastarakennea sociocultural structure that intentionally counteracts the mainstream
German Antistruktur, Gegenstruktur
- Antistruktura sociocultural structure that intentionally counteracts the mainstream
- Gegenstruktura sociocultural structure that intentionally counteracts the mainstream
Greek αντιδομή
- αντιδομή (antidomí)a sociocultural structure that intentionally counteracts the mainstream
Portuguese antiestrutura
- antiestruturaa sociocultural structure that intentionally counteracts the mainstream
Cite this entry
antistructure. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/antistructure
“antistructure.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/antistructure. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “antistructure,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/antistructure.
Source: antistructure on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.