constitute

• POS: Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: con=sti=tute

CIDE DICTIONARY

constitute, v. t. [L. constitutus, p. p. of constiture to constitute; con- + statuere to place, set, fr. status station, fr. stare to stand. See Stand.].

•  To cause to stand; to establish; to enact.  [1913 Webster]

  "Laws appointed and constituted by lawful authority."  [1913 Webster]
•  To make up; to compose; to form.  [1913 Webster]

  "Truth and reason constitute that intellectual gold that defies destruction."  [1913 Webster]
•  To appoint, depute, or elect to an office; to make and empower.  [1913 Webster]

  "Me didst Thou constitute a priest of thine."  [1913 Webster]

Constituted authorities, the officers of government, collectively, as of a nation, city, town, etc. Bartlett.

constitute, n. 

 An established law.  T. Preston.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

constitute, v.tr.
1 be the components or essence of; make up, form.
2 a be equivalent or tantamount to (this constitutes an official warning). b formally establish (does not constitute a precedent).
3 give legal or constitutional form to; establish by law.

Derivative

constitutor n.

Etymology

L constituere (as com-, statuere set up)

THESAURUS

constitute

assemble, authorize, build, build up, combine, complement, complete, compose, comprise, consist of, construct, create, declare lawful, decree, effect, effectuate, embody, enact, enact laws, enter into, establish, fabricate, filibuster, fill out, form, formulate, found, get the floor, go into, have the floor, inaugurate, incept, incorporate, install, institute, integrate, join, kill, legalize, legislate, legitimate, legitimatize, legitimize, lobby through, logroll, make, make a regulation, make legal, make up, materialize, merge in, mix, ordain, organize, pass, piece together, pigeonhole, pocket, prescribe, put in force, put through, put together, railroad through, realize, regulate, roll logs, sanction, set up, start, structure, synthesize, table, take the floor, unite in, validate, veto, yield the floor

ROGET THESAURUS

constitute

Composition

VB be composed of, be made of, be formed of, be made up of, consist of, be resolved into, include, contain, hold, comprehend, take in, admit, embrace, embody, involve, implicate, drag into, compose, constitute, form, make, make up, fill up, build up, enter into the composition of.

Component

VB enter into, enter into the composition of, be a component, be part of, form part of, merge in, be merged in, be implicated in, share in, belong to, appertain to, combine, inhere in, unite, form, make, constitute, compose.

Production

VB produce, perform, operate, do, make, gar, form, construct, fabricate, frame, contrive, manufacture, weave, forge, coin, carve, chisel, build, raise, edify, rear, erect, put together, set up, run up, establish, constitute, compose, organize, institute, achieve, accomplish, flower, bear fruit, fructify, teem, ean, yean, farrow, drop, pup, kitten, kindle, bear, lay, whelp, bring forth, give birth to, lie in, be brought to bed of, evolve, pullulate, usher into the world, make productive, create, beget, get, generate, fecundate, impregnate, procreate, progenerate, propagate, engender, bring into being, call into being, bring into existence, breed, hatch, develop, bring up, induce, superinduce, suscitate, cause, acquire.