Definitions for institution
ˌɪn stɪˈtu ʃən, -ˈtyu-in·sti·tu·tion

Princeton's WordNet(3.27 / 11 votes)Rate this definition:

1. institution, establishmentnoun

   an organization founded and united for a specific purpose

2. institutionnoun

   an establishment consisting of a building or complex of buildings where an organization for the promotion of some cause is situated

3. institutionnoun

   a custom that for a long time has been an important feature of some group or society

   "the institution of marriage"; "the institution of slavery"; "he had become an institution in the theater"

4. initiation, founding, foundation, institution, origination, creation, innovation, introduction, instaurationnoun

   the act of starting something for the first time; introducing something new

   "she looked forward to her initiation as an adult"; "the foundation of a new scientific society"

5. mental hospital, psychiatric hospital, mental institution, institution, mental home, insane asylum, asylumnoun

   a hospital for mentally incompetent or unbalanced person

Wiktionary(5.00 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. institutionnoun

   An established organisation, especially one dedicated to education, public service, culture or the care of the destitute, poor etc.

2. institutionnoun

   The building which houses such an organisation.

3. institutionnoun

   A custom or practice of a society or community - marriage for example.

4. institutionnoun

   A person long established with a certain place or position.

5. institutionnoun

   The act of instituting.

6. institutionnoun

   That which institutes or instructs; a textbook or system of elements or rules.

   There is another manuscript, of above three hundred years old, being an institution of physic. uE000140392uE001 Evelyn.

Webster Dictionary(3.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Institutionnoun

   the act or process of instituting; as: (a) Establishment; foundation; enactment; as, the institution of a school

   Etymology: [L. institutio: cf. F. institution.]

2. Institutionnoun

   instruction; education

   Etymology: [L. institutio: cf. F. institution.]

3. Institutionnoun

   the act or ceremony of investing a clergyman with the spiritual part of a benefice, by which the care of souls is committed to his charge

   Etymology: [L. institutio: cf. F. institution.]

4. Institutionnoun

   that which instituted or established

   Etymology: [L. institutio: cf. F. institution.]

5. Institutionnoun

   established order, method, or custom; enactment; ordinance; permanent form of law or polity

   Etymology: [L. institutio: cf. F. institution.]

6. Institutionnoun

   an established or organized society or corporation; an establishment, especially of a public character, or affecting a community; a foundation; as, a literary institution; a charitable institution; also, a building or the buildings occupied or used by such organization; as, the Smithsonian Institution

   Etymology: [L. institutio: cf. F. institution.]

7. Institutionnoun

   anything forming a characteristic and persistent feature in social or national life or habits

   Etymology: [L. institutio: cf. F. institution.]

8. Institutionnoun

   that which institutes or instructs; a textbook; a system of elements or rules; an institute

   Etymology: [L. institutio: cf. F. institution.]

Freebase(4.09 / 10 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Institution

   An institution is any structure or mechanism of social order and cooperation governing the behaviour of a set of individuals within a given community — may it be human or a specific animal one. Institutions are identified with a social purpose, transcending individuals and intentions by mediating the rules that govern cooperative living behavior. The term "institution" is commonly applied to customs and behavior patterns important to a society, as well as to particular formal organizations of government and public services. As structures and mechanisms of social order among certain species, institutions are one of the principal objects of study in the social sciences, such as political science, anthropology, economics, and sociology. Institutions are also a central concern for law, the formal mechanism for political rule-making and enforcement.

Dictionary of Nautical Terms(3.50 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. institution

   An establishment founded partly with a view to instruction; as the Royal United Service Institution in London.

Matched Categories

1. • Custom
   • Establishment

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'institution' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #2053

2. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'institution' in Nouns Frequency: #386

How to pronounce institution?

1. Alex

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

How to say institution in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of institution in Chaldean Numerology is: 5

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of institution in Pythagorean Numerology is: 8

Examples of institution in a Sentence

1. Roy Moore:

   Those decisions regarded racial inequality and this is about an institution that had existed for hundreds and even thousands of years before the U.S. Constitution took effect.

2. Cheryl Hyman:

   We've refocused from being an institution that was solely focused on access, to an institution that couples access with success, we have quantifiable, measurable goals to help students complete programs and move on to more school or a career.

3. Michael Corbat:

   I am extremely proud of what we have accomplished in the past eight years, we completed our transformation from the financial crisis and emerged a simpler, safer and stronger institution.

4. Dalai Lama:

   I think the Chinese government is more concerned with the Dalai Lama institution than myself.

5. Larry Hamermesh:

   The big question is when you get an institution like him and an institution like the Court of Chancery, is it oil and water or is it mutual respect?

Images & Illustrations of institution

Popularity rank by frequency of use