Constitutionality

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The measure of whether actions or laws conform to the principles set forth in a governing document
2. The attribute of actions or legislation being consistent with the foundational legal framework that governs a society
3. The quality of an act or law being in agreement with the rules or principles established by a constitution

Etymology: Constitutionality is a plain formation: "constitutional" with the suffix "-ity" added to the end. The suffix itself has a longer road into English than the base word does. It descends from Latin "-itas", which passed through Old French "-ite" and entered Middle English as "-ite" before settling into the modern "-ity" spelling. So the noun is built from a fairly recent adjective, with an old and widely shared ending doing the work of turning it into a noun. The key step is the base word. "Constitutional" describes whatever belongs to, or agrees with, a constitution, and the constitution in question is the founding document or set of basic principles of a state. Adding "-ity" converts that adjective into a name for the quality itself, so "constitutionality" means the condition of being consistent with those founding principles. The word is most often used in legal and political discussion, where a court might rule on the constitutionality of a particular law.

Synonyms: legitimacy, lawfulness, validity, legality, constitutionality

Antonyms: illegitimacy, unconstitutionality, invalidity, unlawfulness, illegality