Meanings
plural institutionalizations · alternative Commonwealth institutionalisation
- countableuncountableThe process of establishing a practice as a norm.
The government began the institutionalization of background checks for internet users.
- countableuncountableThe process of committing a person to a facility where their freedom to leave will be restrained, usually a mental hospital.
The institutionalization of Syd Barrett was a major event in the history of the rock group Pink Floyd.
- countableuncountableThe presence of social deficits or disabilities as a result of a long period spent in a prison, mental hospitals, etc.
Synonyms: institutional syndrome
Synonyms & antonyms
nounThe presence of social deficits or disabilities as a result of a long period spent in a prison, mental hospitals, etc.
Origin
- Englishinstitution
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂élisder.?
- Englishinstitutional
- Englishinstitutionalization
From institutional + -ization.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Catalan institucionalització
- institucionalitzacióthe process of establishing a practice as a norm
French institutionnalisation
- institutionnalisationthe process of establishing a practice as a norm
German Institutionalisierung
- Institutionalisierungthe process of establishing a practice as a norm
Italian istituzionalizzazione
- istituzionalizzazionethe process of establishing a practice as a norm
Polish instytucjonalizacja
- instytucjonalizacjathe process of establishing a practice as a norm
Portuguese institucionalização
- institucionalizaçãothe process of establishing a practice as a norm
Spanish institucionalización
- institucionalizaciónthe process of establishing a practice as a norm
Ukrainian інституціоналіза́ція
- інституціоналіза́ція (instytucionalizácija)the process of establishing a practice as a norm
Cite this entry
institutionalization. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/institutionalization
“institutionalization.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/institutionalization. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “institutionalization,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/institutionalization.
Source: institutionalization on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.