institution

institution — noun

1. an important organization that serves society by fulfilling a particular public

1.nounB2
Definition

an important organization that serves society by fulfilling a particular public role — think of a university educating students, a bank managing money, or a museum showing artworks to the public.

Example

The university has become a respected institution that attracts students from around the world.

adjective + institution describing a type of organization

Ayana opened her first savings account at the largest financial institution in Taipei.

financial institution — common compound noun for banks

Common collocations
  • financial institution
  • educational institution
  • public institution
  • institution of higher learning
  • political institution
Synonyms
  • organization

    broader term; any group of people with a shared purpose, not necessarily large or well-established

  • establishment

    more formal; emphasizes that the organization is firmly in place

  • body

    formal term, often used for official or regulatory groups (e.g. 'governing body')

  • foundation

    focuses on the charitable or grant-making role rather than operational services

Grammar Patterns

adjective + institution

institution of + noun

Usage Note

Often modified by an adjective that specifies the type (financial, educational, political, cultural). This is the most frequent sense in everyday English.

Common Mistakes

I study at an institution of language.
I study at a language institution.
The adjective that describes the type of institution usually comes before the noun, not after it.

2. a building or facility where people reside to get medical treatment, personal su

2.nounB2
Definition

a building or facility where people reside to get medical treatment, personal support, or supervision — for instance, a nursing home for older adults, a psychiatric hospital, or a correctional centre.

Example

After breaking his hip, Grandfather was placed in an institution where nurses cared for him.

The judge sentenced the teenager to twelve months at a correctional institution for young offenders.

correctional institution — formal term for prison

Common collocations
  • mental institution
  • correctional institution
  • institution for the elderly
  • psychiatric institution
  • medical institution
Synonyms
  • facility

    neutral and broad; can describe any type of building designed for a specific purpose

  • home

    warmer tone; used specifically for residential care (nursing home, care home)

  • centre

    commonly used for rehabilitation centres or treatment centres

  • hospital

    specific to medical treatment, not long-term care or confinement

Grammar Patterns

adjective + institution

institution for + noun phrase

Usage Note

This sense carries a formal or official tone. In everyday conversation, speakers usually use a more specific term such as 'nursing home,' 'prison,' 'psychiatric hospital,' or 'care home.' Can be perceived as impersonal or bureaucratic.

Common Mistakes

My grandmother lives in an institution.' (too vague and potentially negative)
My grandmother lives in a nursing home.
In everyday English, 'institution' for a care facility can sound cold; use a more specific word when possible.

3. a practice or tradition that a society has treated as important for many generat

3.nounB2
Definition

a practice or tradition that a society has treated as important for many generations and considers a central part of its identity — for instance, the ceremony of a wedding or the custom of celebrating a national holiday.

Example

The institution of marriage in 1960s Japan made Eri live with in-laws and quit work.

institution of marriage — fixed phrase for a long-established social custom

In Japan, the tea ceremony is a cultural institution dating back over four centuries.

cultural institution — tradition viewed as part of a society's identity

Common collocations
  • institution of marriage
  • institution of democracy
  • cultural institution
  • become an institution
  • long-standing institution
Synonyms
  • tradition

    more general; emphasises that something has been passed down over time, not necessarily as formalised

  • custom

    focuses on habitual practice within a group, often less weighty than 'institution'

  • practice

    neutral term for a repeated way of doing something; can be recent or long-standing

  • convention

    emphasises accepted social norms, often unwritten

Grammar Patterns

institution of + noun (e.g. institution of marriage)

Usage Note

Frequently used in the pattern 'institution of + [social practice]' (e.g., institution of marriage, institution of democracy). The word can also be applied to a family or group tradition (e.g., 'Sunday brunch became an institution in our house').

Common Mistakes

The institution of the tea ceremony is very old.' (vague)
The tea ceremony itself is an institution that dates back centuries.
When referring to a custom, 'institution' is a label for the custom, not a container; use 'an institution' or 'the institution of X.'

4. the official act or process of beginning something new, especially a law, system

4.nounC1
Definition

the official act or process of beginning something new, especially a law, system, policy, or rule — for instance, when a government puts a new healthcare plan into effect or a company starts a fresh set of procedures.

Example

The institution of the new tax law sparked a lot of debate among business owners.

institution of + law — formal pattern for introducing legislation

Hao supported the institution of a formal complaint system within the company.

Common collocations
  • institution of a law
  • institution of reforms
  • institution of a system
  • institution of policies
Synonyms
  • introduction

    more common in everyday English; broader in use

  • establishment

    similar formality; emphasises setting up something permanent

  • creation

    emphasises the act of bringing something into existence

  • implementation

    focuses on putting a plan or system into action

Antonyms
  • abolition

    the act of officially ending a law or system

Grammar Patterns

institution of + noun (law, system, reform)

Usage Note

Used almost exclusively in formal or academic writing. This is an abstract uncountable sense, so it does not take an article (the institution OF social reform, not *an institution of social reform). In everyday language, 'introduction,' 'establishment,' or 'creation' are more natural alternatives.

Common Mistakes

The government announced an institution of a new law.
The government announced the institution of a new law.
In this sense, 'institution' takes the definite article 'the' and is followed by 'of.'

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words refer to groups of people working together for a shared purpose, but they differ in scope and formality. 'Organization' is the broadest and most neutral term — it can describe anything from a small club to a multinational corporation. 'Establishment' carries a formal tone and often implies something firmly rooted or official, such as a restaurant or a research centre. 'Body' is used almost exclusively in formal contexts for official or regulatory groups ('the governing body of a university'), and it sounds impersonal. 'Foundation' focuses on charitable or grant-making roles rather than operational services. For example, a hospital is an institution; its board of trustees is a governing body; the charity that funds it is a foundation; and the group that runs its daily operations is an organization.

organization ↗establishment ↗body ↗foundation ↗

Common collocations

Prepositions

  • institution of
  • institution for

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

The word 'institution' comes from Latin 'institutio' (arrangement, instruction, foundation), which in turn comes from 'instituere' (to set up, establish, put in place). It entered English in the 1300s through Old French, originally carrying the sense of 'established law or custom.' By the 1500s it was also being used for charitable organisations, and by the 1800s it had broadened to cover large organisations of all types.