construction

UK: /kənˈstrʌkʃ^ən/ US: /kənˈstrʌkʃən/ ,(kən struk′shən)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

con•struc•tion /kənˈstrʌkʃən/   n. 

1. the act, process, or art of constructing:
   [uncountable] a building of solid construction.
2. something constructed;
   structure:
   [countable] What a complicated construction that table of yours is.
3. the occupation or industry of building:
   [uncountable] Can you make money in construction?
4. Grammar an arrangement of two or more words, phrases, or sentences in a grammatical unit:
   [countable] the past perfect construction.

See -stru-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

con•struc•tion  (kən struk′shən), n. 

1. the act or art of constructing.
2. the way in which a thing is constructed:
   a building of solid construction.
3. something that is constructed;
   a structure.
4. the occupation or industry of building:
   He works in construction.
5. Grammar
   • the arrangement of two or more forms in a grammatical unit. Constructions involving bound forms are often called morphological, as the bound forms fif- and -teen. Those involving only free forms are often called syntactic, as the good man, in the house. Cf. bound form, free form.
   • a word or phrase consisting of two or more forms arranged in a particular way.
   • Grammar a group of words or morphemes for which there is a rule in some part of the grammar.
6. explanation or interpretation, as of a law, a text, or an action.

• Latin constrūctiōn- (stem of constrūctiō) a putting together, building, equivalent. to constrūct(us) (see construct) + -iōn- -ion
• Middle French)
• Middle English (1350–1400

con•struc′tion•al, adj. 
con•struc′tion•al•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 6. version, rendition, story.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

construction / kənˈstrʌkʃən/ noun

1. the process or act of constructing or manner in which a thing is constructed
2. the thing constructed; a structure
3. the business or work of building dwellings, offices, etc
4. (as modifier): a construction site
5. an interpretation or explanation of a law, text, action, etc: they put a sympathetic construction on her behaviour
6. a group of words that together make up one of the constituents into which a sentence may be analysed; a phrase or clause
7. an abstract work of art in three dimensions or relief
   See also constructivism1

conˈstructional adjective

conˈstructionally adverb