constituent

noun

con·stit·u·ent | \ kən-ˈstich-wənt,

-ˈsti-chə-, -ˈsti-chü-ənt\

Definition of constituent

(Entry 1 of 2)

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

constituent

adjective

Definition of constituent (Entry 2 of 2)

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

Other Words from constituent Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about constituent

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Synonyms & Antonyms for constituent

Synonyms: Noun

building block, component, element, factor, ingredient, member

Antonyms: Noun

whole

Choose the Right Synonym for constituent

Noun

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

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: Noun

The constituent ideas — 100 percent clean energy; a just transition to a new, better economy; massive public sector investments — are not new. — David Roberts, Vox, "The Green New Deal, explained," 21 Dec. 2018 However, the phones’ constituent parts could be used or work without cellular service, a computer forensics official told the Chronicle. — Bradford Betz, Fox News, "Apple Store robberies continue in Bay Area, with 9 stores hit this month," 27 Sep. 2018 Detmer suggests looking for products made with 304 stainless steel, which indicates the percentage of noniron constituents in the steel, primarily nickel and chromium. — Richard A. Marini, San Antonio Express-News, "S.A.’s money’s no object, high-end outdoor kitchens," 2 July 2018 Carbon, the other main constituent of a battery, is also a very light element. — Chris Lee, Ars Technica, "High-density lithium in graphene: An intriguing battery possibility," 29 Nov. 2018 One study found that women lawmakers bring in 9 percent more federal spending for their constituents than their male counterparts. — Danush Parvaneh, Vox, "What happens when women win elections," 7 Nov. 2018 While the reasoning behind this isn't worth going into (a politician who happens to lie to their constituents? — Amanda Mitchell, Marie Claire, "Who to Vote for in the 2018 Midterms: A Complete Guide to Figuring It Out," 13 Sep. 2018 Karem said four seats at the gala were used by the councilwoman, her son, daughter and nephew and the other seats were occupied by constituents. — Phillip M. Bailey, The Courier-Journal, "Investigation continues into Derby spending by Metro Council Democrat," 21 June 2018 Before Ram's arrival, his constituents rigorously cleaned, made their homes beautiful, and, come nightfall, lined the path into the city with thousands of tiny, flickering candles. — Noor Brara, Vogue, "Celebrating Diwali, in Light of the Midterms," 10 Nov. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

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

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.