Constitutive: meaning, definitions and examples

Etymology

• Originates from the Latin word 'constitutivus', meaning 'establishing or setting up'.
• The term started gaining popularity in the 18th century, especially in legal and philosophical contexts.

Law

• In legal contexts, 'constitutive' often describes elements that create laws or constitutions.
• Constitutional laws are foundational rules that govern a country, making certain principles constitutive for its legal framework.

Philosophy

• Philosophers discuss the 'constitutive' elements of identity, examining what makes someone who they are.
• In social theory, constitutive theories explore how social interactions help shape norms and values.

Science

• In biology, the term refers to components that are essential for the development of an organism.
• Molecular biology often identifies constitutive genes that are constantly expressed to maintain basic cellular functions.

Art and Literature

• In art, certain motifs can be constitutive in building a particular style, like the repeated themes in an artist's work.
• Literary theories may argue that specific narrative structures are constitutive elements that define a genre.

Ranked #12,463, this word falls into high-advanced vocabulary. It appears less frequently but is valuable for expressing precise meanings in specific contexts.

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