Definitions for constituentkənˈstɪtʃ u ənt

Random House Webster's College Dictionary

con•stit•u•ent^*kənˈstɪtʃ u ənt(adj.)

serving to make up a thing; component:
the constituent parts of a motor.
having power to frame or alter a political constitution or fundamental law, as distinguished from lawmaking power:
a constituent assembly.
Category: Government
(n.)a constituent element, material, etc.; component.
a person who authorizes another to act in his or her behalf, as a voter in a district represented by an elected official.
Category: Government
a linguistic element considered as part of a construction.
Category: Grammar
Ref: Compare immediate constituent , ultimate constituent.

^* Syn: See element.

Origin of constituent:

1615–25; < L constituent-, s. of constituēns, prp. of constituere to set up, found, constitute =con-con - +-stituere, comb. form of statuere to set up. See statute

con•stit′u•ent•ly(adv.)

Princeton's WordNet

component, constituent, element(noun)
an artifact that is one of the individual parts of which a composite entity is made up; especially a part that can be separated from or attached to a system
"spare components for cars"; "a component or constituent element of a system"
constituent(noun)
a member of a constituency; a citizen who is represented in a government by officials for whom he or she votes
"needs continued support by constituents to be re-elected"
part, portion, component part, component, constituent(noun)
something determined in relation to something that includes it
"he wanted to feel a part of something bigger than himself"; "I read a portion of the manuscript"; "the smaller component is hard to reach"; "the animal constituent of plankton"
constituent, grammatical constituent(noun)
(grammar) a word or phrase or clause forming part of a larger grammatical construction
component, constituent, element, factor, ingredient(adj)
an abstract part of something
"jealousy was a component of his character"; "two constituents of a musical composition are melody and harmony"; "the grammatical elements of a sentence"; "a key factor in her success"; "humor: an effective ingredient of a speech"
constituent(a), constitutional, constitutive(a), organic(adj)
constitutional in the structure of something (especially your physical makeup)

Kernerman English Learner's Dictionary

constituent(noun)ənˈstɪtʃ u ənt
sb who votes in a particular area
the Senator's loyal constituents
constituentənˈstɪtʃ u ənt
one of the parts that form sth
a major constituent of some bio fuels

Wiktionary

constituent(Noun)
a part, or component of a whole
constituent(Noun)
a resident of a place represented by an elected official
constituent(Noun)
a functional element of a phrase or clause
constituent(Adjective)
being a part, or component of a whole
constituent(Adjective)
authorized to make a constitution

Origin: From constituens, present participle of constituo, from com- + statuo; see statute or statue, and compare institute and restitute.

Webster Dictionary

Constituent(adj)
serving to form, compose, or make up; elemental; component
Constituent(adj)
having the power of electing or appointing
Constituent(noun)
the person or thing which constitutes, determines, or constructs
Constituent(noun)
that which constitutes or composes, as a part, or an essential part; a component; an element
Constituent(noun)
one for whom another acts; especially, one who is represented by another in a legislative assembly; -- correlative to representative
Constituent(noun)
a person who appoints another to act for him as attorney in fact