structure
//ˈstɹʌk(t)ʃə//
formalForms
- Plural
- structures
- present (v1)
- structure
- past (v2)
- structured
- past participle (v3)
- structured
- present participle
- structuring
- 3rd person singular
- structures
Definitions
1.A cohesive whole built up of distinct parts.
- The birds had built an amazing structure out of sticks and various discarded items.
- Built in the 1980s, the country’s Scott Base consists of 12 structures that officials want replaced by three large, interconnected buildings, plus a separate helicopter hangar.
2.The underlying shape of a solid.
- He studied the structure of her face.
3.The overall form or organization of something.
- The structure of the society was still a mystery.
- The structure of a sentence.
4.A set of rules defining behaviour.
- For some, the structure of school life was oppressive.
1.To give structure to; to arrange.
- I'm trying to structure my time better so I'm not always late.
- I've structured the deal to limit the amount of money we can lose.
Frequency
Overall
Common· #1106
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Rare
- General reading & writing
- Common
- Academic
- Common
- Literature
- Rare
Related words
Synonyms
Word family
Etymology
From Middle French structure, from Latin structūra (“a fitting together, adjustment, building, erection, a building, edifice, structure”), from struere, past participle structus (“pile up, arrange, assemble, build”).
Compare construct, instruct, destroy, etc.