Skip to main content
institution

institution

67 3.9
A custom or system that has existed for a long time in a society
  • noun
  • /ˌɪnstəˈtuːʃən/
: institución
  • There's a need for institutions that we can trust.
  • the institution of marriage
  • social institutions
  • political institutions

It's the stock market is a central institution of all modern economies.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • Indeed, marriage has always been an evolving institution, largely through the operation of law.

    Academic text (2008)
  • Located in a remote and desolate area, the institution was different from what they had pictured.

    Academic text (2011)
  • Guys, the real enemy here is the institution of marriage.

  • It's the idea of looking at the institutions which form culture.

  • Trust in legal and political institutions is near a historic low as of June.

    Academic text (2017)
  • And he is loyal to the United States, to his friends, to the institutions of which he is part.

  • Something looks fundamentally wrong with our political institutions.

  • Over time, the plantation became an effective social institution for managing free labor.

    Academic text (2013)
  • Studies find that the academic major and quality of institution contribute to racial earnings disparity.

    Academic text (2017)
  • Education is an essential institution that shapes the values and beliefs of society.

Antonyms

317 3.9

Bringing in new ideas or ways of doing things

Compounds

An organization that keeps people's money, gives loans, and offers other money services

38 3.6

A hospital that cares for people who have serious problems with their mind

A place like a school or university where people study and learn

A place where people who broke the law are kept as punishment or while they wait for trial

A place where doctors and nurses give health care and do research

lending institution
  • Specialized
4 3.7

A bank or company that gives money to people and businesses to pay back

1 6.3

A place like a prison where people are kept as punishment for crimes

thrift institution
  • Specialized
1 5.5

A bank or credit union that helps people save money and buy a home

1 9.9

A polite phrase for slavery in the southern United States before the Civil War

An organization that accepts people's money in accounts and lends or invests it

A company that does not take deposits but raises money by selling investments or insurance

How Established

institution
67 3.9
tradition
964 2.0
custom
159 1.3
habit
667 1.0
fad
53 3.5

Surface Forms

institution singular
institutions plural

Morphology

institution = institute (semi-transparent) = institute + ion

The abstract sense 'a social custom or established practice' is an extension of 'that which is instituted' and is related but somewhat metaphorical, so not fully predictable for learners.

Etymology

Institution comes from the Latin verb instituere, meaning 'to set up', the same root as institute. So when a custom or system is called an institution it means it was 'set up' long ago and is now an important, lasting part of a society.