Definition of STRUCTURE

structure

Plural: structures

Noun

  • a thing constructed; a complex entity constructed of many parts
    • "the structure consisted of a series of arches"
  • the manner of construction of something and the arrangement of its parts
    • "artists must study the structure of the human body"
    • "the structure of the benzene molecule"
  • the complex composition of knowledge as elements and their combinations
    • "his lectures have no structure"
  • a particular complex anatomical part of a living thing
    • "he has good bone structure"
  • the people in a society considered as a system organized by a characteristic pattern of relationships
    • "sociologists have studied the changing structure of the family"
  • A cohesive whole built up of distinct parts.
  • The underlying shape of a solid.
  • The overall form or organization of something.
  • A set of rules defining behaviour.
  • Several pieces of data treated as a unit.
  • Underwater terrain or objects (such as a dead tree or a submerged car) that tend to attract fish
  • A body, such as a political party, with a cohesive purpose or outlook.
  • A set along with a collection of finitary functions and relations.

Verb

  • give a structure to
    • "I need to structure my days"
  • To give structure to; to arrange.

Examples

  • For some, the structure of school life was oppressive.
  • He studied the structure of her face.
  • 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.
  • The birds had built an amazing structure out of sticks and various discarded items.
  • The South African leader went off to consult with the structures.
  • The structure of a sentence.
  • The structure of the society was still a mystery.
  • There's lots of structure to be fished along the west shore of the lake; the impoundment submerged a town there when it was built.
  • This structure contains both date and timezone information.

Origin / 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.

Synonyms

anatomical structure, bodily structure, body structure, complex body part, construction, social organisation, social organization, social structure, social system, arrangement, composition, configuration, constitution, form, formation, makeup, structure

Scrabble Score: 11

structure: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
structure: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
structure: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 14

structure: valid Words With Friends Word