constitution

The basic laws and principles that explain how a country or organization is governed.

• The constitution protects freedom of speech.
• Parliament voted to amend the constitution.
• Our club adopted a new constitution last year.

Common phrases: national constitution, amend the constitution, under the constitution

The natural condition of your body, especially how strong and healthy it is.

• She has a strong constitution.
• His weak constitution left him tired after the journey.
• A healthy constitution helped her recover quickly.

Common phrases: strong constitution, weak constitution, healthy constitution

The main qualities that make a person or thing what they are.

• Patience was part of her constitution.
• His emotional constitution made sudden changes difficult.
• Honesty belongs to the very constitution of this institution.

Similar words: nature, character, makeup

Common phrases: mental constitution, emotional constitution, constitution of something

The process of setting something up, or the way its parts are put together.

• The constitution of the committee took several weeks.
• They studied the chemical constitution of the material.
• Its unusual constitution makes the substance difficult to classify.

Similar words: formation, composition, structure

Common phrases: constitution of something, chemical constitution, constitution of committees