constitution

noun

1. The act, or process of setting something up, or establishing something; the composition or structure of such a thing; its makeup.

   “the physical constitution of the sun”

2. The formal or informal system of primary principles and laws that regulates a government or other institutions.

   “Our constitution had begun to exist in times when statesmen were not much accustomed to frame exact definitions.”

   “After all, that would be akin to a self-coup. Apart from the traditional vision of a coup requiring a military takeover of the government, self-coups occur when governments depart from typical norms of democracy by altering election laws, calling into question election results or seeking to suspend their constitutions in order to stay in power.”

3. A legal document describing such a formal system.
4. A document issued by a religious authority serving to promulgate some particular church laws or doctrines.
5. A person's physical makeup or temperament, especially in respect of robustness.

   “He has a strong constitution, so he should make a quick recovery from the illness.”

   “Our constitutions have never been enfeebled by the vices or luxuries of the old world.”

   “He defended himself with [...] less passion than was expected from his constitution.”

6. (dated)The general health of a person.

   “But when once his constitution began to decline, he broke very fast, and being attacked bya complication of diseases, he at length gave way to fate, May 10, 1733.”

   “Don Manuel de Casafonda the governor, whose countenance bespoke a constitution far gone in a decliner had thrown himself on a sopha in the last state of despair and given way to an effusion of tears:”

   “The physician, to gratify the apothecary, thinks himself obliged to order ten times more physic than the patient really wants, by which means he ruins his constitution, and too often his life; otherwise how is it possible an apothecarty's bill in a fever should amount to forty, or fifty, or more pounds?”

   “In early life his health was infirm, and his education much interrupted in consequence; but by diligent study, as his constitution improved, he made up his lost ground, and became one of the most accomplished classical and general scholars of his time.”

name

1. The supreme law of some countries, such as Australia, Ireland, and the United States.

   “The Constitution is anchored in English liberal thought and the Magna Carta.”

   “The US Constitution was written in 1787.”

   “The Constitution is very clear. My job was oversee the session of Congress where objections could be heard. And I made sure that objections would be recognized, so we would hear whatever evidence and other debate there was. But the Constitution says you open and count the votes, no more no less. The Constitution affords no authority to the Vice President or anyone else to reject votes or return votes to the states.”

   “Please kindly bring your hardcopy of the Constitution to every class.”