Constitutes

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /ˈkɑnstɪtuts/

Definitions

1. To represent the parts that make up a whole or play a pivotal role in its creation
2. Acts as the elements that combine to create a complete entity
3. Serves as components that collectively establish an entirety

Etymology: "Constitutes" is the third-person singular form of "constitute," so its history is really the history of the verb. That verb comes from Latin "cōnstituō," meaning "to put in place, set up, establish," built from "con-" ("with") and "statuō" ("to put up, establish"). The same Latin root gave English "statue," "status," and "establish," which is a useful reminder that the idea behind "constitute" is literally putting things together into a fixed arrangement. English took the verb through Middle English "constituten," drawn from the Latin past participle "cōnstitūtum." Its earliest sense was of setting something up or founding it, as in establishing an institution or a rule, and the modern sense of making up a whole, as in parts that together form something, grew out of that idea of assembling a structure. So when you say that certain pieces constitute a team or a collection, you are still using the old notion of arranging separate things into one established body.

Synonyms: comprises, forms, makes up, establishes, creates

Antonyms: destroys, abolishes, disbands, dismantles, disassembles