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Origin and history of construction

construction(n.)

late 14c., construccioun, "act of construing; manner of understanding the arrangement of words in translation" (a sense now obsolete), from Latin constructionem (nominative constructio) "a putting or placing together, a building," noun of action from past-participle stem of construere "to 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").

The oldest sense in English goes with construe, and led to the meanings "the construing, explaining, or interpreting of a text" (late 15c.) and "explanation of the words of a legal document" which endures in parliamentary language ("What construction do you put on this clause?"); also compare constructionist.

From early 15c. as "act of building or making;" 1707 as "way or form in which a thing is built or made;" 1796 as "that which is constructed, a structure." Related: Constructional; constructionally.

also from late 14c.

Entries linking to construction

constructionist(n.)

"one who construes or interprets" (a document, in a specified way), 1830, in reference to the U.S. Constitution, from construction in the "explanation of the words of a legal document" sense + -ist. Usually with strict or loose; the former prefers exact and strict interpretation of the provisions of the Constitution.

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.

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structure
mid-15c.; the sense might be "building materials" or "action or process of building or construction," either way it is obsolete. From 1610s as "that which is built, an edifice," especially if large or imposing. It is from Latin structura "a fitting together, adjustment; a buildin
expression
early 15c., expressioun, "action of pressing out;" later "action of manifesting a feeling;" "a putting into words" (mid-15c.); from Late Latin expressionem (nominative expressio) "expression, vividness," in classical Latin "a pressing out, a projection," noun of action from past-
twist
mid-14c., "flat part of a hinge" (now obsolete), probably from Old English -twist "divided object; fork; rope" (as in mæsttwist "mast rope, stay;" candeltwist "wick"), from Proto-Germanic *twis-, from PIE root *dwo- "two." Original senses suggest "dividing in two" (source also of
edification
mid-14c., in religious use, "a building up of the soul," from Old French edificacion "a building, construction; edification..., good example," and directly from Latin aedificationem (nominative aedificatio) "construction, the process of building;...
particle
In grammar, "a part of speech considered of minor consequence or playing a subordinate part in the construction of a sentence...In construction, particle board (1957) is so called because it is made from chips and shavings of wood....
not
[Century Dictionary, 1895] To not know X from Y (one's ass from one's elbow, shit from Shinola, etc.) was a construction...Double negative construction not un- was derided by Orwell, but is persistent and ancient in English, popular with Milton...
latitudinarian
Episcopal clergymen indifferent to doctrinal details; a pseudo-Latin construction from latitude in its meaning "freedom from...
establishment
late 15c., "settled arrangement," also "income, property," from establish + -ment. Meaning "established church" is from 1731; Sense of "place of business" is from 1832. Meaning "social matrix of ruling people and institutions" is attested occasionally from 1923, consistently from
odor
c. 1300, "sweet smell, scent, fragrance," from Anglo-French odour, from Old French odor "smell, perfume, fragrance" (12c., Modern French odeur) and directly from Latin odor "a smell, a scent" (pleasant or disagreeable), from PIE root *hed- "to smell" (source also of Latin olere "
door
"movable barrier, commonly on hinges, for closing a passage into a building, room, or other enclosure," c. 1200, a Middle English merger of two Old English words, both with the general sense of "door, gate": dor (neuter; plural doru) "large door, gate," and duru (fem., plural dur

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