Webster's English Dictionary

Enter the word to look up:

constituent

Cross references:
  1. element               
 
1. con.stit.u.ent \k*n-'stich-(*-)w*nt\ n [F constituant, fr. MF, fr. prp. 
   of constituer to constitute, fr. L] constituere 1: one who authorizes 
   another to act for him : PRINCIPAL  2: an essential part : COMPONENT, 
   ELEMENT  3: one of two or more linguistic forms that enter into a 
   construction or a  compound and are either immediate (as he and writes 
   reviews in the construction "he writes reviews") or ultimate (as he, write, 
   -s, review, and -s in the same construction) 4a: one of a group who elects 
   another to represent him in public office  4b: a voter in a constituency 
2. constituent aj [L constituent-, constituens, prp. of constituere] 1: 
   serving to form, compose, or make up a unit or whole : COMPONENTM 2: having 
   the power to create a government or frame or amend a constitutio n {a ~ 
   assembly} - constit.u.ent.ly av