The main constitution definition: a body of basic laws and principles that sets up how a country, state or organisation is governed: who holds power, how leaders are chosen, how laws are made, and what rights people have. Other laws must fit inside it, so lawyers often call it the supreme law of the land.
The word has older meanings too. Your constitution is your body's general health and strength (a strong constitution), and the constitution of something is how it is made up. Each sense is explained below, along with the split between written and unwritten constitutions, real examples from the United States and India, and the Latin behind the word.
Entry at a glance
Meaning
The founding rules of a state or group; also a person's physical or mental makeup; the composition of somethingPart of speech
Noun (plural: constitutions)Pronunciation
kon-stih-TOO-shuhn (UK also kon-stih-TYOO-shuhn)Word forms
constitutional (adjective), constitutionally (adverb), constitute (verb)Origin
Latin constitutio, an arrangement or decree, from constituere, to set upClose words
charter, founding law, bylaws (for clubs)Register
Formal; the health sense is a bit old-fashioned but still common
Constitution definition: the three senses
- A system of basic laws. The founding document or set of rules for a country or organisation. The constitution guarantees freedom of speech. Clubs, companies, unions and student bodies can also have a constitution.
- A person's health and character. The natural state of someone's body or mind. She has the constitution of an ox means she is very healthy and rarely ill. A nervous constitution means a tendency to worry.
- Makeup or composition. How something is formed: the constitution of the committee (who is on it), the chemical constitution of a rock.
When a civics student asks about the meaning of constitution, or what does constitution mean, the first sense is nearly always the one intended.
What a national constitution usually does
- Sets up the branches of government, usually a lawmaking body, an executive and courts, and says how each is chosen.
- Splits authority between the centre and the states or provinces, as in federalism.
- Limits power, so that no branch or leader can do whatever it likes.
- Protects rights, such as speech, religion, equality and a fair trial (see liberty).
- Explains how it can be changed, through a process called amendment.
A law or government action that goes against the constitution can be struck down by courts as unconstitutional.
Written, unwritten and famous examples
Most countries have a written or codified constitution: one main document. A few, most famously the United Kingdom, have an uncodified constitution made up of ordinary laws, court decisions, long-standing customs and conventions, with no single founding text.
| Country | Key facts |
|---|---|
| United States | Signed on 17 September 1787 and in force from 1789; often called the oldest written national constitution still in use; the first ten amendments are the Bill of Rights |
| India | Adopted on 26 November 1949 and in force from 26 January 1950, now marked as Republic Day; often described as the longest written national constitution |
| United Kingdom | No single document; rules spread across statutes, case law and convention |
India marks 26 November as Constitution Day, and the United States marks Constitution Day on 17 September.
Constitution in sentences
- Our debating society voted to change its constitution so that first-year students could join the committee.
- The court ruled that the new rule broke the constitution.
- Grandpa has an iron constitution; he has not taken a sick day in forty years.
- Changing the constitution requires a two-thirds vote in parliament.
- Scientists studied the constitution of the meteorite to learn where it came from.
From Latin decree to founding charter
Medieval English borrowed constitution through Old French, and straight from Latin, constitutio, "an arrangement, settlement, decree", built on constituere, "to cause to stand, set up, establish" (con-, together, plus statuere, to set up). At first it meant a law or decree. The sense of a body's physical makeup appeared in the 16th century, and the idea of a state's whole system of basic rules grew in the 17th and 18th centuries. Using it for a single written founding document became common from the 1780s, with the new American and French constitutions.
Frequently asked questions
What is the definition of constitution in easy words?
A constitution is the main set of rules that explains how a country or group is run and what rights its people have. It can also mean a person's general health.
How do you define constitution for a school project?
You can define constitution as the supreme law of a country that sets up the government, divides its powers and protects citizens' rights. Add an example such as the Indian or US constitution.
What does a strong constitution mean?
It means a person is naturally healthy and tough, able to resist illness or handle hardship. For example, someone who never gets seasick might be said to have a strong constitution.
Does every country have a written constitution?
Nearly all do, but not every one. The United Kingdom, New Zealand and Israel are well known for not having a single codified constitutional document.
Constitution or ordinary law: which comes first?
A constitution is the higher, basic framework; ordinary laws are made under it and must agree with it. Changing a constitution is usually much harder than changing a law.
Why is it called a constitution?
It comes from Latin for setting something up or establishing it. A constitution constitutes, or creates, the government it describes.