constitutional

CEFRB1

/ˌkɒn.stɪˈtjuː.ʃ(ə)n.(ə)l/

adjective

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    adjective

    Related to a country's basic laws or government.

  2. 02

    adjective

    Extra detail

    For the benefit of one's constitution or health.

Examples

  • America has an elaborate system of constitutional checks and balances.

  • It was under these circumstances that the constitutional crisis began.

At a glance

Sits at B1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
1
Citations
5

Also pronounced

  • /-stə-/
  • /ˌkɑn.stɪˈt(j)u.ʃ(ə)n.(ə)l/

Deep Dive

adjective

Extra meanings

  1. Relating to the constitution or composition of something; essential, fundamental.

  2. Belonging to, or inherent in, the constitution or structure of one's body or mind.

  3. Relating to a legal or political constitution (“the basic law of a nation or institution; the formal or informal system of primary principles and laws that regulates a government or other institution”).

More examples

In context

  • a constitutional infirmity constitutional ardour or dullness

  • a constitutional right constitutional reforms

  • a constitutional walk

Antonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The court must decide whether this new law is blank under the supreme law.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

adjective

PIE word *ḱóm From constitution + -al (suffix meaning ‘of or pertaining to’ forming adjectives). Constitution is derived from Middle English constitucioun, constitucion (“edict, law, ordinance, regulation, rule, statute; body of laws or rules, or customs; body of fundamental principles; principle or rule (of science); creation”) from Old French constitucion (modern French constitution), a learned borrowing from Latin cōnstitūtiō, cōnstitūtiōnem (“character, constitution, disposition, nature; definition; point in dispute; order, regulation; arrangement, system”), from cōnstituō (“to establish, set up; to confirm; to decide, resolve”) (from con- (prefix indicating a being or bringing together...