Definition of CONSTITUENT (original) (raw)
1
: a member of a constituency
pledged to help her elderly constituents
2
: an essential part : component, element
The organic constituents of plants, animals, and microorganisms …—
Harry S. Mosher et al.
3
: one who authorizes another to act as agent : principal
4
: a structural unit of a definable syntactic, semantic, or phonological category that consists of one or more linguistic elements (such as words, morphemes, or features) and that can occur as a component of a larger construction
1
: serving to form, compose, or make up a unit or whole : component
2
: having the power to create a government or frame or amend a constitution
Synonyms
Choose the Right Synonym for constituent
the basic elements of geometry
component and constituent may designate any of the substances (whether elements or compounds) or the qualities that enter into the makeup of a complex product; component stresses its separate entity or distinguishable character.
the components of a stereo system
constituent stresses its essential and formative character.
the constituents of a chemical compound
ingredient applies to any of the substances which when combined form a particular mixture.
the ingredients of a cocktail
Examples of constituent in a Sentence
Noun
She's pledged to help her elderly constituents. Many senators have received calls from constituents who want them to vote in favor of the law. the chemical constituents of the liquid Adjective
The company can be separated into several constituent parts.
Recent Examples on the Web
Members of Congress are influenced by their constituents. —Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 22 June 2024 On Friday afternoon, Salazar informed her constituents via social media that the advertising company had told her the Castro billboard would be removed at midnight that day. —Syra Ortiz Blanes and, Miami Herald, 21 June 2024
The puzzle of emergence asks how regularities emerge on macro scales out of uncountable constituent parts. —Quanta Magazine, 10 June 2024 Repairs will be slow and expensive, in part because refinery stacks—where oil is distilled into its constituent parts—are huge and complex pieces of equipment that take years to design and build, and in part because Western sanctions are hampering Russian firms’ access to specialized components. —Michael Liebreich, Foreign Affairs, 8 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for constituent 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'constituent.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
French constituant, from Middle French, from present participle of constituer to constitute, from Latin constituere — see constitute
Adjective
Latin constituent-, constituens, present participle of constituere — see constituent entry 1
First Known Use
Noun
1622, in the meaning defined at sense 3
Adjective
1660, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of constituent was in 1622
Dictionary Entries Near constituent
Cite this Entry
“Constituent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/constituent. Accessed 2 Jul. 2024.
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Last Updated: 26 Jun 2024 - Updated example sentences
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