constitutional
C1Formal (primary legal/political meanings); Neutral (when referring to health/walk).
Definition
Meaning
Relating to or inherent in the physical or mental makeup of a person or thing; also, relating to the fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal and political basis of a state or organization.
Of or relating to a constitution (a body of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed). It can describe a characteristic, right, or principle that is so basic it forms part of the foundational structure. Informally, it refers to a walk taken for one's health.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The adjective has two primary clusters: 1) Pertaining to a constitution (legal/political). 2) Inherent in the structure or nature of a person/thing (often about health or character). The noun (a walk) is informal.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The legal/political sense is identical in both. The informal noun for a walk is slightly more common in UK English ('take a constitutional'). In US English, 'constitutional right' is a very high-frequency collocation.
Connotations
In political discourse, carries strong connotations of foundational law and inviolable rights. The health-related sense can sound slightly old-fashioned or quaint.
Frequency
Higher frequency in American public/political discourse due to frequent reference to the U.S. Constitution.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[be] constitutional[have] a constitutional right to[pose] a constitutional question[undergo] a constitutional reformVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A constitutional right”
- “Take a constitutional (walk)”
- “Of constitutional importance”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in 'constitutional documents' of a company (e.g., Memorandum of Association).
Academic
Central in Law, Political Science, and History. Used to discuss foundational texts, rights, and structures of governance.
Everyday
Most common in news/politics. Informally used for a walk.
Technical
Precise legal term denoting compliance with or derived from a constitution.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The proposed change would need to be constitutionally enacted by Parliament.
American English
- The Supreme Court ruled that the state cannot constitutionally impose that restriction.
adverb
British English
- The government acted constitutionally in dissolving Parliament.
American English
- The law was constitutionally flawed from its inception.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The country is a constitutional monarchy, with a king and a parliament.
- He goes for a constitutional every morning to clear his head.
- The court must decide if the new policy is constitutional.
- There is a constitutional requirement for the president to address the assembly annually.
- The attorney argued that the statute infringed upon a core constitutional right.
- The nation faced a profound constitutional crisis following the disputed election.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
CONSTITUTION + AL. Think of the CONSTITUTION as the fundamental rules (like for a nation or club). CONSTITUTIONAL things are related to those fundamental rules.
Conceptual Metaphor
A CONSTITUTION IS THE BODY/BLUEPRINT OF A STATE. Therefore, constitutional matters are about the health (constitutional crisis) or skeleton/structure (constitutional framework) of the state.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'конституционный' (correct for legal sense) and 'конституция' (body type/build). The Russian word can mean 'physique,' leading to confusion with the English 'constitutional' meaning 'related to health.'
- The English word does NOT mean 'related to one's physical build' in standard use.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'constitutional' to mean 'healthy' or 'robust' in a general sense (e.g., 'He has a constitutional build' – avoid).
- Confusing 'constitutional' with 'constituent' (which means being a part of something).
- Misspelling as 'constitional' or 'constitutial'.
Practice
Quiz
In its informal sense, 'a constitutional' most likely refers to:
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Indirectly. Phrases like 'constitutional weakness' refer to a weakness inherent in one's physical makeup. It is not a general synonym for 'healthy.'
'Constitutional' means in accordance with or authorized by a constitution. 'Unconstitutional' means contrary to or violating a constitution.
No, it is informal and can sound slightly old-fashioned or humorous.
It is most commonly an adjective (e.g., constitutional law). It can also be a noun informally (take a constitutional).
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C1 · 46 words · Legal language and regulatory frameworks.
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