constitute

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UK/ˈkɒnstɪtjuːt/Atlantic Canada, US/ˈkɑnstɪt(j)uːt/Canada, dialectal/ˈkɒnstɪt(j)uːt/Australia/ˈkɔnstɪtjʉːt/

verb

To set up; to establish; to enact.

Similar
establishenactmake upcomposeformrepresentcomprisebe
OriginMiddle English constituten ← Latin cōnstitūtum →
CommonScrabble 12
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Meanings

verbconstitute (third-person singular simple present constitutes, present participle constituting, simple past and past participle constituted)

present singular third person constitutes · participle present constituting · participle past constituted · past constituted

  1. transitiveTo set up; to establish; to enact.

    Laws appointed and constituted by lawful authority.

    1651, Jer[emy] Taylor, The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living. […], 2nd edition, London: […] Francis Ashe […], →OCLC

    Synonyms: establish, enact

  2. transitiveTo 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.

    1 more example

    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.

    1980, AA Book of British Villages, Drive Publications Ltd, page 288

    Synonyms: make up

  3. transitiveTo appoint, depute, or elect to an office; to make and empower.

    Me didst Thou constitute a priest of thine.

    1814, William Wordsworth, The Excursion
nounconstitute (plural constitutes)

plural constitutes

  1. obsoleteAn established law.

    A naughty man that will not obey the kings constitute.

    1569, Thomas Preston, Cambyses

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo set up; to establish; to enact.

Similar
establishenact

verbTo make up; to compose; to form.

Similar
make up
Similar
composeform

More synonyms by meaning

verbform or compose

Similar
representmake upcomprisebe
Broader
existbe

verbcreate and charge with a task or function

Similar
appointnamenominate
Broader
establishfoundplant

verbto compose or represent

Similar
formmake
Broader
constituterepresentmake up

verbset up or lay the groundwork for

Similar
establishfoundplantinstitute
Broader
initiatepioneer
Also see
appointbecomposecompoundcompriseestablishformfoundinstitutemakemake upnamenominateplantrepresentupmake

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latincōnstituō“to put in place; set up; establish”
  2. Latincōnstitūtum
  3. Middle Englishconstituten
  4. Englishconstitute

From 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”).

More words from Middle English, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian основавам, учредявам
  • основавам (osnovavam)to cause to stand; to establish; to enact
  • учредявам (učredjavam)to cause to stand; to establish; to enact
  • съставям (săstavjam)to make up; to compose; to form
  • образувам (obrazuvam)to make up; to compose; to form
Chinese Mandarin 組成 /组成, 构成
  • 組成 /组成 (zǔchéng)to make up; to compose; to form
  • 构成 (gòuchéng)to make up; to compose; to form
Czech ustavit, tvořit
  • ustavitto cause to stand; to establish; to enact
  • tvořitto make up; to compose; to form
Finnish perustaa, muodostaa
  • perustaato cause to stand; to establish; to enact
  • muodostaato make up; to compose; to form
  • nimittääto appoint, depute, or elect to an office; to make and empower
French constituer
  • constituerto make up; to compose; to form
German gründen, begründen
  • gründento cause to stand; to establish; to enact
  • begründento cause to stand; to establish; to enact
  • bildento cause to stand; to establish; to enact
  • einrichtento cause to stand; to establish; to enact
  • ins Leben rufento cause to stand; to establish; to enact
  • einsetzento cause to stand; to establish; to enact
  • festsetzento cause to stand; to establish; to enact
  • konstituierento cause to stand; to establish; to enact
  • ausmachento make up; to compose; to form
  • bildento make up; to compose; to form
  • darstellento make up; to compose; to form
  • repräsentierento make up; to compose; to form
Greek συστήνω, αποτελώ
  • συστήνω (systíno)to cause to stand; to establish; to enact
  • αποτελώ (apoteló)to make up; to compose; to form
Hebrew היווה
  • היווה (hivá)to make up; to compose; to form
Hindi गठन करना, गठन करना
  • गठन करना (gaṭhan karnā)to cause to stand; to establish; to enact
  • गठन करना (gaṭhan karnā)to make up; to compose; to form
Italian costituire, creare
  • costituireto cause to stand; to establish; to enact
  • creareto cause to stand; to establish; to enact
  • formareto cause to stand; to establish; to enact
  • creareto make up; to compose; to form
  • formareto make up; to compose; to form
  • costituireto make up; to compose; to form
  • rappresentareto make up; to compose; to form
  • nominareto appoint, depute, or elect to an office; to make and empower
  • deputareto appoint, depute, or elect to an office; to make and empower
  • creareto appoint, depute, or elect to an office; to make and empower
Japanese 制定する, 構成する
  • 制定する (seitei-suru)to cause to stand; to establish; to enact
  • 構成する (kōsei-suru)to make up; to compose; to form
  • 任命する (ninmei-suru)to appoint, depute, or elect to an office; to make and empower
Korean 설립(設立)하다, 제정(制定)하다
  • 설립(設立)하다 (seolliphada)to cause to stand; to establish; to enact
  • 제정(制定)하다 (jejeonghada)to cause to stand; to establish; to enact
  • 구성(構成)하다 (guseonghada)to make up; to compose; to form
  • 이루다 (iruda)to make up; to compose; to form
  • 선출(選出)하다 (seonchulhada)to appoint, depute, or elect to an office; to make and empower
Māori whakaū
  • whakaūto cause to stand; to establish; to enact
Polish stanowić
  • stanowićto make up; to compose; to form
Portuguese constituir, constituir
  • constituirto cause to stand; to establish; to enact
  • constituirto make up; to compose; to form
Russian устана́вливать, учрежда́ть
  • устана́вливать (ustanávlivatʹ)to cause to stand; to establish; to enact
  • учрежда́ть (učreždátʹ)to cause to stand; to establish; to enact
  • установи́ть (ustanovítʹ)to cause to stand; to establish; to enact
  • учреди́ть (učredítʹ)to cause to stand; to establish; to enact
  • составля́ть (sostavljátʹ)to make up; to compose; to form
  • формирова́ть (formirovátʹ)to make up; to compose; to form
  • явля́ть собо́й (javljátʹ sobój)to make up; to compose; to form
  • ста́вить (stávitʹ)to appoint, depute, or elect to an office; to make and empower
  • поста́вить (postávitʹ)to appoint, depute, or elect to an office; to make and empower
Spanish constituir
  • constituirto cause to stand; to establish; to enact
Swedish utgöra
  • utgörato make up; to compose; to form
Thai เป็นส่วนหนึ่งของ
  • เป็นส่วนหนึ่งของto make up; to compose; to form
Turkish meydana getirmek, oluşturmak
  • meydana getirmekto cause to stand; to establish; to enact
  • oluşturmakto cause to stand; to establish; to enact
  • oluşmakto make up; to compose; to form
  • teşkil etmekto make up; to compose; to form
  • atamakto appoint, depute, or elect to an office; to make and empower
  • seçmekto appoint, depute, or elect to an office; to make and empower
  • tayin etmekto appoint, depute, or elect to an office; to make and empower
Ukrainian устано́влювати, установи́ти
  • устано́влювати (ustanóvljuvaty)to cause to stand; to establish; to enact
  • установи́ти (ustanovýty)to cause to stand; to establish; to enact
  • встано́влювати (vstanóvljuvaty)to cause to stand; to establish; to enact
  • встанови́ти (vstanovýty)to cause to stand; to establish; to enact
  • склада́ти (skladáty)to cause to stand; to establish; to enact
  • скла́сти (sklásty)to cause to stand; to establish; to enact
  • станови́ти (stanovýty)to make up; to compose; to form
  • склада́ти (skladáty)to make up; to compose; to form
Vietnamese cấu thành
  • cấu thànhto make up; to compose; to form
Cite this entry
APA

constitute. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/constitute

MLA

“constitute.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/constitute. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “constitute,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/constitute.

Source: constitute on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.