institution

noun

in·sti·tu·tion | \ ˌin(t)-stə-ˈtü-shən

, -ˈtyü-\

Definition of institution

1 : an act of instituting : establishment

2a : a significant practice, relationship, or organization in a society or culture the institution of marriage also : something or someone firmly associated with a place or thing she has become an institution in the theater

b : an established organization or corporation (such as a bank or university) especially of a public character financial institutions

c : a facility or establishment in which people (such as the sick or needy) live and receive care typically in a confined setting and often without individual consent … the testator disinherited her siblings over their efforts to have her committed to a mental institution in the wake of several suicide attempts.— William M. McGovern Jr.

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Examples of institution in a Sentence

banks and other financial institutions an institution of higher learning Family visits are a Thanksgiving institution. She's not interested in the institution of marriage. The play has become something of an institution on Broadway. the institution of new rules and regulations

Recent Examples on the Web

Restaurateur Gareth Kantner, who is something of a Silver Lake institution, also owns the Sunset Junction complex where the cafe resides. — Los Angeles Times, "Newsletter: A woman’s name and the long shadow of the Stanford rape case," 5 Sep. 2019 The diner has been a local institution since the 1920s. — Jennifer Rude Klett, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Wisconsin 'breakfast clubs' are like supper clubs, but with pancakes and hash browns instead of steak and relish trays," 30 Aug. 2019 Catching pocket monsters and battling them against your friends is a cultural institution. — Matthew Gault, Time, "The 10 Video Games We Can't Wait to Play This Fall," 26 Aug. 2019 But Proud’ Yonsei is a private research institution in Seoul that was established in 1885, with its current iteration opening its doors in 1957. — Rachel Desantis, PEOPLE.com, "Angelina Jolie Recalls Her 'Embarrass-Your-Children Ugly Cry' After Dropping Maddox at College," 25 Aug. 2019 Deep Springs College is a tiny two-year institution in rural California, near the Nevada border. — oregonlive.com, "Newberg man pleads guilty to making school shooting threats in California," 22 Aug. 2019 Larkin is known to some within Florida’s mental health care community as a subpar institution. — Ken Silverstein, The New Republic, "Shock Corridor," 19 Aug. 2019 So slavery, on one hand, shifts to become a Southern institution. — P.r. Lockhart, Vox, "How slavery became America’s first big business," 16 Aug. 2019 The new law also establishes the National Research Agency, a giant new institution that may subsume most government research centers, including the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) in Jakarta. — Dyna Rochmyaningsih, Science | AAAS, "Indonesia’s strict new biopiracy rules could stifle international research," 24 July 2019

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

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Dictionary Entries near institution

institutional economics

institutionalise

Statistics for institution

Last Updated

9 Sep 2019

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Time Traveler for institution

The first known use of institution was in the 15th century

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More Definitions for institution

institution

noun

English Language Learners Definition of institution

: an established organization

: a place where an organization takes care of people for a usually long period of time

: a custom, practice, or law that is accepted and used by many people

See the full definition for institution in the English Language Learners Dictionary

institution

noun

in·sti·tu·tion | \ ˌin-stə-ˈtü-shən

, -ˈtyü-\

Kids Definition of institution

1 : the beginning or establishment of something the institution of new rules

2 : an established custom, practice, or law Turkey dinners are a Thanksgiving institution.

3 : an established organization business institutions

institution

noun

in·sti·tu·tion | \ ˌin(t)-stə-ˈt(y)ü-shən

Medical Definition of institution

: a facility or establishment in which people (such as the sick or needy) live and receive care typically in a confined setting and often without individual consent a mental institution

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institution

noun

in·sti·tu·tion

Legal Definition of institution

1 : the act of instituting

2 : a significant practice, relationship, or organization in a society or culture the institution of marriage

3 : an established organization or corporation especially of a public character specifically : a facility for the treatment or training of persons with mental deficiencies