institute definition | Dictionary.com

in⋅sti⋅tute

[in-sti-toot, -tyoot]

verb, -tut⋅ed, -tut⋅ing, noun

–verb (used with object)

1.	to set up; establish; organize: to institute a government.

2.	to inaugurate; initiate; start: to institute a new course in American literature.

3.	to set in operation: to institute a lawsuit.

4.	to bring into use or practice: to institute laws.

5.	to establish in an office or position.

6.	Ecclesiastical. to assign to or invest with a spiritual charge, as of a parish.

–noun

7.	a society or organization for carrying on a particular work, as of a literary, scientific, or educational character.

8.	the building occupied by such a society.

Education.

a.	an institution, generally beyond the secondary school level, devoted to instruction in technical subjects, usually separate but sometimes organized as a part of a university.

b.	a unit within a university organized for advanced instruction and research in a relatively narrow field of subject matter.

c.	a short instructional program set up for a special group interested in a specialized field or subject.

10.	an established principle, law, custom, or organization.

11.

institutes,

a.	an elementary textbook of law designed for beginners.

b.	(initial capital letter) Also called Institutes of Justinian. an elementary treatise on Roman law in four books, forming one of the four divisions of the Corpus Juris Civilis.

12.	something instituted.

Origin:
1275–1325; ME < L institūtus ptp. of instituere to set, put up, establish, equiv. to in- in- ² + -stitū- (comb. form of statū-, s. of statuere to make stand ) + -tus ptp. suffix

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

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Language Translation for : institute

Spanish:

instituto,

German:

das Institut,

Japanese:

研究所

View 30 other languages »

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in·sti·tute (ĭn'stĭ-tōōt', -tyōōt') Pronunciation Key
tr.v. in·sti·tut·ed, in·sti·tut·ing, in·sti·tutes

1. To establish, organize, and set in operation.
2. To initiate; begin. See Synonyms at found¹.
To establish or invest in an office or a position.

1. Something instituted, especially an authoritative rule or precedent.
2. institutes A digest of the principles or rudiments of a particular subject, especially a legal abstract.
3. An educational institution, especially one for the instruction of technical subjects.
4. The building or buildings housing such an institution.
An organization founded to promote a cause: a cancer research institute.
1. An educational institution, especially one for the instruction of technical subjects.
2. The building or buildings housing such an institution.
A usually short, intensive workshop or seminar on a specific subject.

[Middle English instituten, from Latin īnstituere, īnstitūt-, to establish : in-, in; see in-² + statuere, to set up; see stā- in Indo-European roots.]
in'sti·tut'er, in'sti·tu'tor n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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institute (v.)

c.1325, "to establish in office, appoint," from L. institutus, pp. of instituere "to set up," from in- "in" + statuere "establish, to cause to stand" (see statute). General sense of "set up, found, introduce" first attested 1483. The noun sense of "organization, society" is from 1828, borrowed from Fr. Institut national des Sciences et des Arts, established 1795 to replace the royal academies.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper

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institute
noun
1.	an association organized to promote art or science or education
verb
1.	set up or lay the groundwork for; "establish a new department" [syn: establish]
2.	advance or set forth in court; "bring charges", "institute proceedings"

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.

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Main Entry: in·sti·tute
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Forms: -tut·ed; -tut·ing
1 : to establish in a particular position or office; specifically in the civil law of Louisiana : to appoint as heir —see also instituted heir at HEIR
2 : to get started : BRING <institute a lawsuit>

Main Entry: institute
Function: noun
1 : an elementary principle recognized as authoritative
2 plural : a collection of principles; especially : a legal compendium

Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.

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Institute, NC (township, FIPS 10791588)
Location: (35.341050, -77.709555)
Population (2000): 2,398 (1,020 housing units)
Area: 22.392298 sq mi (land), 0.016002 sq mi (water)

U.S. Gazetteer, U.S. Census Bureau

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Institute

In"sti*tute\, p. a. [L. institutus, p. p. of instituere to place in, to institute, to instruct; pref. in- in + statuere to cause to stand, to set. See Statute.] Established; organized; founded. [Obs.]

They have but few laws. For to a people so instruct and institute, very few to suffice. --Robynson (More's Utopia).

Institute

In"sti*tute\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Instituted; p. pr. & vb. n. Instituting.]

1. To set up; to establish; to ordain; as, to institute laws, rules, etc.

2. To originate and establish; to found; to organize; as, to institute a court, or a society.

Whenever any from of government becomes destructive of these ends it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute a new government. --Jefferson (Decl. of Indep. ).

3. To nominate; to appoint. [Obs.]

We institute your Grace To be our regent in these parts of France. --Shak.

4. To begin; to commence; to set on foot; as, to institute an inquiry; to institute a suit.

And haply institute A course of learning and ingenious studies. --Shak.

5. To ground or establish in principles and rudiments; to educate; to instruct. [Obs.]

If children were early instituted, knowledge would insensibly insinuate itself. --Dr. H. More.

6. (Eccl. Law) To invest with the spiritual charge of a benefice, or the care of souls. --Blackstone.

Syn: To originate; begin; commence; establish; found; erect; organize; appoint; ordain.

Institute

In"sti*tute\, n. [L. institutum: cf. F. institut. See Institute, v. t. & a.]

1. The act of instituting; institution. [Obs.] "Water sanctified by Christ's institute." --Milton.

2. That which is instituted, established, or fixed, as a law, habit, or custom. --Glover.

3. Hence: An elementary and necessary principle; a precept, maxim, or rule, recognized as established and authoritative; usually in the plural, a collection of such principles and precepts; esp., a comprehensive summary of legal principles and decisions; as, the Institutes of Justinian; Coke's Institutes of the Laws of England. Cf. Digest, n.

They made a sort of institute and digest of anarchy. --Burke.

To make the Stoics' institutes thy own. --Dryden.

4. An institution; a society established for the promotion of learning, art, science, etc.; a college; as, the Institute of Technology; also, a building owned or occupied by such an institute; as, the Cooper Institute.

5. (Scots Law) The person to whom an estate is first given by destination or limitation. --Tomlins.

Institutes of medicine, theoretical medicine; that department of medical science which attempts to account philosophically for the various phenomena of health as well as of disease; physiology applied to the practice of medicine. --Dunglison.