Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense structures, present participle structuring, past tense, past participle structured
1. variable noun
The structureof something is the way in which it is made, built, or organized.
The typical family structure of Freud's patients involved two parents and two children. [+ of]
The chemical structure of this particular molecule is very unusual. [+ of]
Synonyms: arrangement, form, make-up, make More Synonyms of structure
2. countable noun
A structure is something that consists of parts connected together in an ordered way.
The feet are highly specialised structures made up of 26 small delicate bones.
3. countable noun
A structure is something that has been built.
About half of those funds has gone to repair public roads, structures and bridges.
The house was a handsome four-story brick structure.
Synonyms: building, construction, erection, edifice More Synonyms of structure
4. verb
If you structure something, you arrange it in a careful, organized pattern or system.
By structuring the course this way, we produce something companies think is valuable. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: arrange, organize, design, shape More Synonyms of structure
structuredgraded adjective
We have introduced a more structured training programme.
5. See also report structure
structure in British English
(ˈstrʌktʃə)
noun
1.
a complex construction or entity
2.
the arrangement and interrelationship of parts in a construction, such as a building
3.
the manner of construction or organization
the structure of society
4. biology
morphology; form
5. chemistry
the arrangement of atoms in a molecule of a chemical compound
the structure of benzene
6. geology
the way in which a mineral, rock, rock mass or stratum, etc, is made up of its component parts
7. rare
the act of constructing
verb
8. (transitive)
to impart a structure to
Word origin
C15: from Latin structūra, from struere to build
structure in American English
(ˈstrʌktʃər)
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
verb transitiveWord forms: ˈstructured or ˈstructuring
5.
to put together systematically; construct; organize
SIMILAR WORDS: ˈbuilding
Derived forms
structureless (ˈstructureless)
adjective
Word origin
ME < L structura < structus, pp. of struere, to heap together, arrange: see strew
COBUILD Collocations
structure
class structure
command structure
concrete structure
formal structure
hierarchical structure
organization structure
organizational structure
permanent structure
present structure
social structure
Examples of 'structure' in a sentence
structure
They are important for the majority of metabolic processes and for the building of body structure.
Martlew, Gillian & Silver, Shelley (ed) The Medicine Chest - your family's guide to prescription drugs (1988)
But what makes the melody haunting is its unusual structure.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
She writes about furniture and family structures.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
He watched people and assessed the informal power structure.
Christianity Today (2000)
Age structures and family patterns are becoming more diversified in the religious mainline.
Greeley, Andrew M. Sociology and Religion: A Collection of Readings (1995)
To what extent does the legal system structure the role of the police?
Lee Harvey Critical Social Research (1990)
The structure was deemed highly dangerous because it was built on unstable soil foundations.
The Sun (2014)
And we can now see the difference in the chemical structure of the brain.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Without them structure dissolves and society crumbles.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Structure and arrangement tell their own story.
The Times Literary Supplement (2013)
What is the best way to structure this?
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
You are looking for clues that tell you about the house and its structure and potential problems.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The complex voting structure has caused consternation.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
But without some reforms of the existing structures his economic programme would fail.
Grenville, J. A. S. The Collins History of the World in the 20th Century (1994)
It does not plan to change the structure of the building.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
And you probably need to know that this is a book with an unusual structure.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
New family structures have benefits and difficulties much as older patterns of the extended or nuclear family had.
Knowles, Jane Know Your Own Mind (1991)
Looking around the world there seems to be no pattern linking the structure of financial regulation and its effectiveness.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
His specific role is to pull the structures together so that it will be working and delivering in demanding circumstances.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Russian sport depends on the old Soviet structures that once produced such success but have decayed.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Theirs is to challenge the global power structure, not to accept it.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
It all comes down to the chemical structure of its molecules, and how they interact with light.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
A very few men had attempted in the two generations that preceded the war to piece together the structure of the atmosphere.
Levenson, Thomas Ice Time: Climate, Science, and Life on Earth (1990)
Using such techniques it is possible to determine the positions of the atoms, and hence the structure of the molecules, within thecrystal.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
In other languages
structure
British English: structure /ˈstrʌktʃə/ NOUN
The structure of something is the way in which it is made, built, or organized.
...the structure of education in this country.
American English: structure
Arabic: هَيْكِل
Brazilian Portuguese: estrutura
Chinese: 结构
Croatian: struktura
Czech: struktura
Danish: struktur
Dutch: structuur
European Spanish: estructura
Finnish: rakenne
French: structure
German: Struktur
Greek: δομή
Italian: struttura
Japanese: 構造
Korean: 구조
Norwegian: struktur
Polish: struktura
European Portuguese: estrutura
Romanian: structură
Russian: структура
Latin American Spanish: estructura
Swedish: struktur
Thai: โครงสร้าง
Turkish: yapı
Ukrainian: структура
Vietnamese: cơ cấu
British English: structure VERB
If you structure something, you arrange it in a careful, organized pattern or system.
By structuring the course this way, we're forced to produce something the companies think is valuable.
American English: structure
Brazilian Portuguese: estruturar
Chinese: 精心安排
European Spanish: estructurar
French: structurer
German: strukturieren
Italian: strutturare
Japanese: 組み立てる
Korean: 조직하다
European Portuguese: estruturar
Latin American Spanish: estructurar
All related terms of 'structure'
pay structure
a collection of pay grades or bands , which set out the different levels of pay for workers in a certain profession , etc
bone structure
the skeletal composition of a human or animal
class structure
The structure of something is the way in which it is made, built , or organized .
data structure
an organized form, such as an array list or string , in which connected data items are held in a computer
deep structure
a representation of a sentence at a level where logical or grammatical relations are made explicit , before transformational rules have been applied
fine structure
the splitting of a spectral line into two or more closely spaced components as a result of interaction between the spin and orbital angular momenta of the atomic electrons
power structure
the structure or distribution of power and authority in a community
atomic structure
the concept of an atom as a central positively charged nucleus consisting of protons and neutrons surrounded by a number of electrons . The number of electrons is equal to the number of protons: the whole entity is thus electrically neutral
capital structure
the way that a company finances its assets through a combination of equity , debt etc
command structure
The structure of something is the way in which it is made, built, or organized .
concrete structure
A structure is something that has been built.
formal structure
The structure of something is the way in which it is made, built, or organized .
Kekulé structure
the structure of many molecules, notably benzene , suggested by Friedrich August Kekulé von Stradonitz (1829–96), the German chemist
phrase structure
the relations among the words and morphemes of a sentence
present structure
The structure of something is the way in which it is made, built , or organized .
report structure
A report structure is a structure containing a reporting clause and a reported clause or a quote .
sentence structure
the grammatical arrangement of words in sentences
social structure
The structure of something is the way in which it is made, built , or organized .
surface structure
a representation of a string of words or morphemes as they occur in a sentence , together with labels and brackets that represent syntactic structure
hierarchical structure
The structure of something is the way in which it is made, built , or organized .
hyperfine structure
splitting of a spectral line of an atom or molecule into two or more closely spaced components as a result of interaction of the electrons with the magnetic moments of the nuclei
organization structure
The structure of something is the way in which it is made, built , or organized .
permanent structure
A structure is something that has been built.
organizational structure
The structure of something is the way in which it is made, built , or organized .
phrase-structure rule
a rule of the form A → X where A is a syntactic category label , such as noun phrase or sentence , and X is a sequence of such labels and/or morphemes , expressing the fact that A can be replaced by X in generating the constituent structure of a sentence
phrase-structure grammar
a grammar in which relations among the words and morphemes of a sentence are described , but not deeper or semantic relations
containment
Containment is the action or policy of keeping another country's power or area of control within acceptable limits or boundaries .
rewrite rule
a rule of the form A → X where A is a syntactic category label , such as noun phrase or sentence , and X is a sequence of such labels and/or morphemes , expressing the fact that A can be replaced by X in generating the constituent structure of a sentence
rewriting rule
a rule of the form A → X where A is a syntactic category label , such as noun phrase or sentence , and X is a sequence of such labels and/or morphemes , expressing the fact that A can be replaced by X in generating the constituent structure of a sentence
PSG
phrase-structure grammar
Chinese translation of 'structure'
structure
(ˈstrʌktʃəʳ)
n
(c/u)[of organization, society, book etc]体(體)系 (tǐxì)
(c) (= building) 建筑(築)物 (jiànzhùwù)
vt
安排 (ānpái)
1 (noun)
Definition
the way the individual parts of something are made, built, or organized into a whole
The chemical structure of this particular molecule is very unusual.
Synonyms
arrangement
an imaginative flower arrangement
form
the sustained narrative form of the novel
make-up
the chemical make-up of the atmosphere
make
design
The pictures are based on simple geometric designs.
organization
the internal organization of the department
construction
fabric
The fabric of society has been deeply damaged.
formation
He was flying in formation with seven other jets.
configuration
The flow of water follows the configuration of the rock strata.
conformation
Poor conformation means a horse is more susceptible to injury.
interrelation of parts
2 (noun)
Definition
something that has been built or organized
The house was a handsome four-storey brick structure.
Synonyms
building
They were on the upper floor of the building.
construction
The British pavilion is an impressive steel and glass construction.
erection (formal)
The house itself is merely an erection of wooden blocks and ladders.
edifice
a list of historical edifices she must not fail to visit
pile
a stately pile in the country
(verb)
Definition
to arrange (something) into an organized system or pattern
You have begun to structure your time.
Synonyms
arrange
She arranged an appointment for Friday afternoon.
organize
We need someone to help organize our campaign.
design
shape
build up
assemble
She was trying to assemble the bookcase when it collapsed.
put together
Additional synonyms
in the sense of assemble
Definition
to put together the parts of (a machine)
She was trying to assemble the bookcase when it collapsed.
Synonyms
put together,
make,
join,
set up,
manufacture,
build up,
connect,
construct,
erect,
piece together,
fabricate,
fit together
in the sense of configuration
Definition
the form or outline of such an arrangement
The flow of water follows the configuration of the rock strata.
Synonyms
arrangement,
form,
shape,
cast,
outline,
contour,
conformation,
figure
in the sense of conformation
Definition
the arrangement of the parts of an object
Poor conformation means a horse is more susceptible to injury.
Synonyms
shape,
build,
form,
structure,
arrangement,
outline,
framework,
anatomy,
configuration
Synonyms of 'structure'
structure
Explore 'structure' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of construction
Definition
something that has been constructed
The British pavilion is an impressive steel and glass construction.
Synonyms
structure,
building,
edifice,
form,
figure,
shape
in the sense of design
Definition
the arrangement or features of an artistic or decorative work
The pictures are based on simple geometric designs.
Synonyms
pattern,
form,
figure,
style,
shape,
organization,
arrangement,
construction,
motif,
configuration
in the sense of edifice
Definition
a large or impressive building
a list of historical edifices she must not fail to visit
Synonyms
building,
house,
structure,
construction,
pile,
erection (formal),
habitation (formal)
in the sense of erection
The house itself is merely an erection of wooden blocks and ladders.
Synonyms
structure,
building,
construction,
pile,
edifice
in the sense of fabric
Definition
the structure that holds a system together
The fabric of society has been deeply damaged.
Synonyms
framework,
structure,
make-up,
organization,
frame,
foundations,
construction,
constitution,
infrastructure
in the sense of form
Definition
the structure and arrangement of a work of art or piece of writing as distinguished from its content
the sustained narrative form of the novel
Synonyms
structure,
plan,
order,
organization,
arrangement,
construction,
proportion,
format,
framework,
harmony,
symmetry,
orderliness
in the sense of formation
Definition
a series of rocks or clouds of a particular structure or shape