Main Entry:

¹struc·ture

Pronunciation:

\ˈstrək-chər\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Middle English, from Latin structura, from structus, past participle of struere to heap up, build — more at strew

Date:

15th century

1: the action of building : construction2 a: something (as a building) that is constructed b: something arranged in a definite pattern of organization <a rigid totalitarian structure — J. L. Hess> <leaves and other plant structures>3: manner of construction : makeup <Gothic in structure>4 a: the arrangement of particles or parts in a substance or body <soil structure> <molecular structure> b: organization of parts as dominated by the general character of the whole <economic structure> <personality structure> c: coherent form or organization <tried to give some structure to the children's lives>5: the aggregate of elements of an entity in their relationships to each other <the structure of a language>

— struc·ture·less \-ləs\ adjective

— struc·ture·less·ness \-nəs\ noun