constituent

noun con·stit·u·ent \ kən-ˈstich-wənt , -ˈsti-chə- , -ˈsti-chü-ənt \

|Updated on: 14 Jul 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: constituent in a Sentence

Definition of constituent

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

See constituent defined for English-language learners

See constituent defined for kids

Examples of constituent in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples of constituent from the Web

Politicians, who are looking at the next election, and tangible results that can fit into an election cycle, love landing huge deals and trumping them to constituents, without thinking about the long term costs.

— patrick sisson, Curbed, "How subway ads asking millennials to move helps economic development," 18 June 2018
Cantwell said her constituents should have a say in the ongoing environmental review of the project because many of them have interests and livelihoods tied up in Bristol Bay.

— erica martinson, Anchorage Daily News, "Sen. Cantwell presses Army Corps to add Pebble hearings in Washington state," 1 June 2018
If elected, my sole obligation will be to represent the constituents of the Fifth Congressional District and to honor the oath of office to support and defend the Constitution of the United States.

— holly otterbein, Philly.com, "Meet Mary Gay Scanlon, the education advocate and Ballard lawyer running for Congress | #PA5," 9 May 2018
Furthermore, as communication narrows, constituents may be less likely to feel represented.

— gregory koger, Vox, "The job of Congress: a primer," 17 Apr. 2018
The senator told a House committee March 28 that his constituents have been calling for more transparency and city oversight of the Sewerage & Water Board.

— beau evans, NOLA.com, "New Orleans should regulate, not run Sewerage & Water Board, watchdog group says," 10 Apr. 2018
While his constituents are angry about rampant corruption and the never-ending occupation, Mr Abbas spends most of his time in Amman, insulated from such concerns.

— The Economist, "Indisposed graybeards rule over much of the Arab world," 15 Mar. 2018
Meta Viers/McClatchy The Utah Young Republicans and rural county commissioners are among the bill’s supporters, according to KSL.com, but some constituents are reportedly up in arms over the idea.

— nicole blanchard, idahostatesman, "Utah on the road to renaming highway after Trump ... and an on-ramp after a porn star | Idaho Statesman," 6 Mar. 2018
Texas’s majority Republican legislature gerrymandered Texas’s 23rd, where nearly half of the constituents are women and nearly 70% identify as Hispanic.

— lauren young, Teen Vogue, "Gina Ortiz Jones is Running for Texas’s 23rd District in March 6 Texas Primary," 5 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'constituent.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of constituent

French constituant, from Middle French, from present participle of constituer to constitute, from Latin constituere — see constitute

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1622

in the meaning defined at sense 3

See Words from the same year

constituent Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of constituent

element, component, constituent, ingredient mean one of the parts of a compound or complex whole. element applies to any such part and often connotes irreducible simplicity.

- 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

Other Government and Politics Terms

agent provocateur, agitprop, autarky, cabal, egalitarianism, federalism, hegemony, plenipotentiary, popular sovereignty, socialism

constituent

adjective

Definition of constituent

1 : serving to form, compose, or make up a unit or whole : component

constituent parts

2 : having the power to create a government or frame or amend a constitution

a constituent assembly

—

constituently

adverb

See constituent defined for English-language learners

Examples of constituent in a Sentence

The company can be separated into several constituent parts.

Recent Examples of constituent from the Web

All of these legislative and constituent pressures are converting Congress from an institution that could once think problems through to responsible conclusions into one that substitutes political reflex for reflection.

— james l. buckley, National Review, "Preserving Our Republic as Federal Government Expands," 6 Feb. 2018
Our theory of change here is that the power that any individual local activist has is constituent power.

— michelle goldberg, Slate Magazine, "How Chuck Schumer Found His Spine," 30 Jan. 2017
May 9, 2017 Constituent questions about health care have dominated Labrador’s latest run of town hall meetings around his district, which covers the entire western part of the state from the Canadian border south to the Nevada line.

— bill dentzer, idahostatesman, "Labrador files papers for governor run, plans announcement in ‘coming weeks’," 9 May 2017
Constituent pressure such as this led two Republican senators to abandon support for Trump’s education secretary nominee, who was confirmed only when Vice President Pence broke a Senate deadlock.

— sandhya somashekhar, Washington Post, "Trump has galvanized activists on the left. Can they stay energized?," 29 Apr. 2017
Afterward, most constituent mail is scanned and forwarded to congressional offices as an electronic image.

— kathryn schulz, The New Yorker, "What Calling Congress Achieves," 6 Mar. 2017
Presidents have dealt with constituent mail differently over the years.

— jeanne marie laskas, New York Times, "To Obama With Love, and Hate, and Desperation," 17 Jan. 2017

Origin and Etymology of constituent

Latin constituent-, constituens, present participle of constituere — see ¹constituent

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1660

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

Other Government and Politics Terms

agent provocateur, agitprop, autarky, cabal, egalitarianism, federalism, hegemony, plenipotentiary, popular sovereignty, socialism

CONSTITUENT Defined for English Language Learners

constituent

noun

Definition of constituent for English Language Learners

: any one of the people who live and vote in an area : a member of a constituency
: one of the parts that form something

constituent

adjective

Definition of constituent for English Language Learners

: forming part of a whole

CONSTITUENT Defined for Kids

constituent

noun con·stit·u·ent \ kən-ˈsti-chə-wənt \

Definition of constituent for Students

1 : one of the parts or materials of which something is made : element, ingredient

2 : any of the voters who elect a person to represent them

constituent

adjective

Definition of constituent for Students

: forming part of a whole

Law Dictionary

constituent

noun con·stit·u·ent \ kən-ˈsti-chə-wənt \

legal Definition of constituent

1 : one who authorizes another to act as agent : principal

2 : a member of a constituency

constituent

adjective

legal Definition of constituent

: having the power to create a government or to frame or amend a constitution

a constituent assembly

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constituent

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Synonym Discussion of constituent

Other Government and Politics Terms

constituent

Definition of constituent

constituently

Examples of constituent in a Sentence

Recent Examples of constituent from the Web

Origin and Etymology of constituent

Other Government and Politics Terms

CONSTITUENT Defined for English Language Learners

constituent

Definition of constituent for English Language Learners

constituent

Definition of constituent for English Language Learners

CONSTITUENT Defined for Kids

constituent

Definition of constituent for Students

constituent

Definition of constituent for Students

Law Dictionary

constituent

legal Definition of constituent

constituent

legal Definition of constituent

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