Word

constitutional

adjective C1

UK /ˌkɒn.stɪˈtjuː.ʃ(ə)n.(ə)l/

US /ˌkɑn.stɪˈt(j)u.ʃ(ə)n.(ə)l/

Meanings

adjective

Relating to a constitution, especially the basic laws and principles that shape a government.

adjective

Consistent with a constitution; allowed under constitutional rules and limits.

Definition

Constitutional describes something related to a country’s constitution or to the basic principles of its system of government.

Constitutional is most often used to talk about laws, rights, powers, or limits that come from a constitution. It can describe how a government is organized and what it is allowed to do. It is also used to contrast legal, rule-based processes with arbitrary decisions.

Examples

The court ruled that the new surveillance policy was not constitutional under the existing protections for privacy.
As a journalist, I try to explain constitutional questions in plain language rather than relying on slogans.
They challenged the restriction by arguing that it violates constitutional rights to free expression.
She specializes in constitutional history and traces how executive power expanded during wartime.

Common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse constitutional with legal, but something can be legal under ordinary law while still not constitutional.