configuration

Word family

• configure
  verbB2
• configurable
  adjectiveC1
• reconfigure
  verbC1
• reconfiguration
  nounC1
• preconfigured
  adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Configuration, arrangement, layout, structure, and setup all describe how things are organised, but they differ in focus. Arrangement is the most general word — it simply means the way things are placed (e.g. 'the arrangement of chairs in the hall'). Layout emphasises the spatial or design plan of something, especially buildings, pages, or gardens (e.g. 'the layout of the website is clean and simple'). Structure focuses on the way parts are connected into a system, not necessarily in space (e.g. 'the structure of an organisation'). Setup is informal and often describes equipment being prepared for use (e.g. 'the DJ's setup took an hour'). Configuration is the most technical of the group — it suggests a systematic, often deliberate arrangement of parts where each element's position matters for function. For example, you would talk about the 'configuration of the network servers' but the 'layout of the office floor'. In everyday conversation, arrangement and layout are safer choices for physical spaces; configuration is better suited to technical, design, or formal contexts.

Common collocations

Etymology

Configuration comes from the Latin word 'configurare', which is formed from 'con-' (together) and 'figurare' (to shape or form). Originally it meant the way something is shaped by bringing its parts together. The word first appeared in English in the mid-16th century in astronomy, referring to the relative positions of stars and planets. Its modern computing sense dates from the 1960s, when engineers began using it to describe the arrangement of computer components and settings.