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Origin and history of construct

construct(v.)

1660s, "put together the parts of in their proper place and order," from Latin constructus, past participle of construere "pile up together, accumulate; build, make, erect," from assimilated form of com "with, together" (see con-) + struere "to pile up" (from PIE *streu-, extended form of root *stere- "to spread"). Sense of "to devise and form in the mind" is from 1755. Related: Constructed; constructing.

construct(n.)

1871 in linguistics, "group of words forming a phrase;" 1890 in psychology, "object in the mind formed by sense-impressions" (C.L. Morgan); 1933 in the general sense of "anything constructed;" from construct (v.) or a derived adjective, with altered pronunciation to distinguish noun from verb (as with produce, detail, project, compress, etc.).

also from 1871

Entries linking to construct

construe(v.)

late 14c., "to arrange the words of (a translation) in their natural order," hence "to interpret, explain, understand the meaning of," from Late Latin construere "to relate grammatically," in classical Latin "to build up, pile together," from assimilated form of com "with, together" (see con-) + struere "to pile up" (from PIE root *stere- "to spread").

Specific sense in law, "to explain or interpret for legal purposes," is from 1580s. Compare construction and construct (v.), which is a later doublet. Related: Construed; construing; construal.

reconstruct(v.)

1768, "build anew, build again," from re- "back, again" + construct (v.). Meaning "to restore (something) mentally, construct anew in the mind again" is attested from 1862. Related: Reconstructed; reconstructing.

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More to explore

concept
"a general notion, the immediate object of a thought," 1550s, from Medieval Latin conceptum "draft, abstract," in classical Latin "(a thing) conceived," from concep-, past-participle stem of concipere "to take in and hold; become pregnant," from con-, here perhaps an intensive pr
conception
early 14c., "act of conceiving in the womb," from Old French concepcion (Modern French conception) "conception, grasp, comprehension," from Latin conceptionem (nominative conceptio) "a comprehending, conception," noun of action from past-participle stem of concipere "to take in a
manufacture
1560s, "something made by hand," from French manufacture (16c.), from Medieval Latin *manufactura "a making by hand" (source of Italian manifattura, Spanish manufactura), from Latin manu, ablative of manus "hand" (from PIE root *man- (2) "hand") + factura "a working," from past-p
forge
., "to counterfeit" (a letter, document, etc.), from Old French forgier "to forge, work (metal); shape, fashion; build, construct...; falsify" (12c., Modern French forger), from Latin fabricari "to frame, construct, build," from fabrica "workshop" (see...
demolish
démolir "to destroy, tear down" (late 14c.), from Latin demoliri "tear down," from de "down" (see de-) + moliri "build, construct...
form
c. 1300, formen, fourmen, "create, give life to, give shape or structure to; make, build, construct, devise," from Old French...
dateline
Never set by any treaty or international organization, it is an informal construct meant to coincide with a line 180 degrees...
attribute
late 14c., "assign, bestow," from Latin attributus, past participle of attribuere "assign to, allot, commit, entrust;" figuratively "to attribute, ascribe, impute," from assimilated form of ad "to" (see ad-) + tribuere "assign, give, bestow" (see tribute). Related: Attributed; at
terrace
1510s, "gallery, portico, balcony," later "flat, raised place for walking" (1570s), from French terrace (Modern French terasse), from Old French terrasse (12c.) "platform (built on or supported by a mound of earth)," from Vulgar Latin *terracea, fem. of *terraceus "earthen, earth
whole
Old English hal "entire, whole; unhurt, uninjured, safe; healthy, sound; genuine, straightforward," from Proto-Germanic *haila- "undamaged" (source also of Old Saxon hel, Old Norse heill, Old Frisian hal, Middle Dutch hiel, Dutch heel, Old High German, German heil "salvation, wel

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