Standard Lemma guide

constitutive

adj · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • General-American: /kənˈstɪt͡ʃuˌtɪv/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: K AA2 N S T IH1 T UW0 T IH2 V Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Having the power or authority to constitute, establish or enact something.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Having the power or authority to appoint someone to office.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Extremely important; essential.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adj

Meaning 4

Forming a constituent part of something else.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

adj

Meaning 5

Of an enzyme: continuously produced at a constant rate.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: biochemistry, biology, chemistry, microbiology, natural-sciences, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English constitute Proto-Indo-European *-wós Proto-Indo-European *-iHwósder. Latin -īvus Old French -ifbor. Middle English -yf English -ive English constitutive From constitute + -ive.

Across languages

Translations

14 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: учредителен (učreditelen) — having the power or authority to constitute
  • Bulgarian: съществен (sǎštestven) — very important ; essential
  • Catalan: constitutiu — very important ; essential
  • French: constitutif — very important ; essential
  • Italian: costitutivo — very important ; essential
  • Portuguese: constitutivo — very important ; essential
  • Spanish: constitutivo — very important ; essential
  • Bulgarian: съставен (sǎstaven) — that forms a constituent part of something else
  • Bulgarian: образуващ (obrazuvašt) — that forms a constituent part of something else
  • Catalan: constitutiu — that forms a constituent part of something else
  • French: constitutif — that forms a constituent part of something else
  • Manx: co-yantyssagh — that forms a constituent part of something else
  • Portuguese: constitutivo — that forms a constituent part of something else
  • Spanish: constitutivo — that forms a constituent part of something else
Real reading context

constitutive in complete knowledge articles