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constituent - 6 dictionary results

con⋅stit⋅u⋅ent

  [kuhn-stich-oo-uhnt]
Use constituent in a Sentence
–adjective
1. serving to compose or make up a thing; component: the constituent parts of a motor.
2. having power to frame or alter a political constitution or fundamental law, as distinguished from lawmaking power: a constituent assembly.
–noun
3. a constituent element, material, etc.; component.
4. a person who authorizes another to act in his or her behalf, as a voter in a district represented by an elected official.
5. Grammar. an element considered as part of a construction.

Origin:
1615–25; < L constituent- (s. of constituēns, prp. of constituere to set up, found, constitute), equiv. to con- con- + -stitu- (comb. form of statuere to set up) + -ent- -ent

Related forms:
con⋅stit⋅u⋅ent⋅ly, adverb

Synonyms:
3. See element.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To constituent
con·stit·u·ent   (kən-stĭch'ōō-ənt)   
adj.  
  1. Serving as part of a whole; component: a constituent element.
  2. Empowered to elect or designate.
  3. Authorized to make or amend a constitution: a constituent assembly.
n.  
  1. A constituent part; a component. See Synonyms at element.
  2. A resident of a district or member of a group represented by an elected official.
  3. One that authorizes another to act as a representative; a client.
  4. Grammar A functional unit of a grammatical construction, as a verb, noun phrase, or clause.

[Latin cōnstituēns, cōnstituent-, present participle of cōnstituere, to set up; see constitute. N., from French, from Latin cōnstituēns, from present participle of cōnstituere.]
con·stit'u·ent·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Constituent

Con*stit"u*ent\, a. [L. constituens, -entis, p. pr. See Constitute.]

1. Serving to form, compose, or make up; elemental; component.

Body, soul, and reason are the three parts necessarily constituent of a man. --Dryden.

2. Having the power of electing or appointing.

A question of right arises between the constituent and representative body. --Junius.

Constituent

Con*stit"u*ent\, n. 1. The person or thing which constitutes, determines, or constructs.

Their first composure and origination require a higher and nobler constituent than chance. --Sir M. Hale

2. That which constitutes or composes, as a part, or an essential part; a component; an element.

We know how to bring these constituents together, and to cause them to form water. --Tyndall.

3. One for whom another acts; especially, one who is represented by another in a legislative assembly; -- correlative to representative.

The electors in the district of a representative in Congress, or in the legislature of a State, are termed his constituents. --Abbot.

To appeal from the representatives to the constituents. --Macaulay.

4. (Law) A person who appoints another to act for him as attorney in fact. --Burrill.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : constituent
Spanish: componente,
German: der Bestandteil,
Japanese: 構成要素
More Translations »

Main Entry: 1con·stit·u·ent
Pronunciation: k&n-'sti-ch&-w&nt
Function: noun
1 : one who authorizes another to act as agent : PRINCIPAL
2 : a member of a constituency

Main Entry: 2constituent
Function: adjective
: having the power to create a government or to frame or amend a constitution constituent assembly>
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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