construction

[kuhn-struhk-shuhn]

noun

1. the act or art of constructing.

2. the way in which a thing is constructed.

   a building of solid construction.

3. something that is constructed; a structure.

4. the occupation or industry of building.

   He works in construction.

5. Grammar.

   1. the arrangement of two or more forms in a grammatical unit. Constructions involving bound forms are often called morphological, as the bound forms fif- and -teen. Those involving only free forms are often called syntactic, as the good man, in the house.

   2. a word or phrase consisting of two or more forms arranged in a particular way.

   3. a group of words or morphemes for which there is a rule in some part of the grammar.

6. explanation or interpretation, as of a law, a text, or an action.

   Synonyms: story, rendition, version

construction

/ kənˈstrʌkʃən /

noun

1. the process or act of constructing or manner in which a thing is constructed

2. the thing constructed; a structure

3. 1. the business or work of building dwellings, offices, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      a construction site

4. an interpretation or explanation of a law, text, action, etc

   they put a sympathetic construction on her behaviour

5. grammar a group of words that together make up one of the constituents into which a sentence may be analysed; a phrase or clause

6. geometry a drawing of a line, angle, or figure satisfying certain conditions, used in solving a problem or proving a theorem

7. an abstract work of art in three dimensions or relief See also constructivism

Other Word Forms

• constructional adjective
• constructionally adverb
• preconstruction noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of construction¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin constrūctiōn-, stem of constrūctiō “placement together, building,” from constrūct(us) “put together” ( construct ) + -iō -ion

Example Sentences

For Oliphant, every part of the cartoon — subject, style and structure — is important, and it’s that reverence for attentive construction that’s been so rapidly phased out.

From Salon

Manufacturing and construction firms also reported payroll declines, offsetting gains in health care.

From BBC

The search by federal agencies had also shut down construction on an adjacent battery plant, CBS News reports.

From BBC

The VA has included $530 million for construction on the West L.A. campus in its current budget request, but it’s unclear whether that amount will be approved by Congress, Sherman said.

From Los Angeles Times

Categories include multifamily construction, affordable housing construction, affordable housing preservation and construction of adaptive reuse projects, such as turning empty commercial buildings into housing.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• development 
• manufacture 
• plan 
• planning 
• structure 
• system