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structure definition

struc·ture (struk′c̸hər)

noun

  1. manner of building, constructing, or organizing
  2. something built or constructed, as a building or dam
  3. the arrangement or interrelation of all the parts of a whole; manner of organization or construction the structure of the atom, the structure of society
  4. something composed of interrelated parts forming an organism or an organization

Etymology: ME < L structura < structus, pp. of struere, to heap together, arrange: see strew

transitive verb structured -·tured, structuring -·tur·ing

to put together systematically; construct; organize

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

business structure definition - business

medical structure definition - medical

structure Synonyms

structure

n.

  1. Construction

    arrangement, composition, fabrication; see formation 1.

  2. A building

    construction, edifice, house; see building 1. See syn. study at building.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

structure Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • protein: Knowledge of the structure of proteins enables scientists to understand the function they perform.

Converse of object

  • determine: You should be aware that some planning is required to determine the structure of your web site.

Adjective modifier

  • organizational: This allows any organizational structure to be modeled in the tree.

Modifies a noun

  • determination: The next step is the structure determination by Patterson or direct methods, but do not eliminate more than 50 % .

Noun used with modifier

  • crystal: Explore at right an example of a crystal structure of the myosin head with associated light chains.
structure usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

structure quotes

The glittering structure of her cultivation sits on her novels like a rather showy icing that detracts from the cake beneath.

-Auchincloss, Louis Stanton

Literature is conscious mythology: as society develops, its mythical stories become structural principles of story-telling, its mythical concepts, sun-gods and the like, become habits of metaphoric thought. In a fully mature literary tradition the writerenters intoa structure of traditional stories and images.

-Frye, Northrop

It's all honourable enough in its way, but it creates societies which simply cannot sustain any kind of democratic structure. It always leads to totalitarian and corrupt tyrannies† There's no tradition of moral individual courage in Chinese culture.

-Mo,Timothy

structure quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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"structure." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/structure>

APA Style

structure. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/structure

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