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

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

1. institution, establishment(noun)

   an organization founded and united for a specific purpose

2. institution(noun)

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

3. institution(noun)

   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, instauration(noun)

   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, asylum(noun)

   a hospital for mentally incompetent or unbalanced person

Wiktionary(5.00 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. institution(Noun)

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

2. institution(Noun)

   The building which houses such an organisation.

3. institution(Noun)

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

4. institution(Noun)

   A person long established with a certain place or position.

5. institution(Noun)

   The act of instituting.

6. institution(Noun)

   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. Institution(noun)

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

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

2. Institution(noun)

   instruction; education

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

3. Institution(noun)

   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. Institution(noun)

   that which instituted or established

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

5. Institution(noun)

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

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

6. Institution(noun)

   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. Institution(noun)

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

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

8. Institution(noun)

   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.

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. William Howard Taft:

   Next to the right of liberty, the right of property is the most important individual right guaranteed by the Constitution and the one which, united with that of personal liberty, has contributed more to the growth of civilization than any other institution established by the human race.

2. Guntram Wolff:

   This would be at best ineffective and at worst dangerous, (It) would be a strong signal that the ECB is no longer a 'joint and several' institution.

3. James Dobson:

   The institution of marriage is fundamental and it must be defended.

4. Anuj Somany:

   The couple who invites the third person or an institution to mediate in their internal tussle has not learnt any lesson from the 'A monkey and two cats' story.

5. Joseph Borelli:

   Basically youd build a big center and it would be a research facility for professional historians in the future and it would be something that would bring really a world-class academic institution to a part of the city that has a shortage of public colleges and universities, whether liberals like it or not, Trumps archives are going to be housed in a library somewhere, probably in his home state. So this is a positive thing. Its a positive thing for the south side of Chicago, theyre getting the BarackObama library, and I would hope that more people here in New York City would be receptive to this.

Images & Illustrations of institution

Popularity rank by frequency of use