n.
Pronunciation: ' str ə k-ch ə r
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin structura, from structus, past participle of struere to heap up, build ― more at STREW
Date: 15th century
1 : the action of building : CONSTRUCTION
2 a : something (as a building) that is constructed b : something arranged in a definite pattern of organization <a rigid totalitarian structure ― J. L. Hess> <leaves and other plant structure s >
3 : manner of construction : MAKEUP <Gothic in structure >
4 a : the arrangement of particles or parts in a substance or body <soil structure > <molecular structure > b : organization of parts as dominated by the general character of the whole <economic structure > <personality structure > c : coherent form or organization <tried to give some structure to the children's lives>
5 : the aggregate of elements of an entity in their relationships to each other <the structure of a language>
– struc · ture · less \ -l ə s \ adjective
– struc · ture · less · ness \ -n ə s \ noun