| Noun | 1. | institution - an organization founded and united for a specific purposeorganization, organisation - a group of people who work together medical institution - an institution created for the practice of medicine financial institution, financial organisation, financial organization - an institution (public or private) that collects funds (from the public or other institutions) and invests them in financial assets issuer - an institution that issues something (securities or publications or currency etc.) charity - an institution set up to provide help to the needy company - an institution created to conduct business; "he only invests in large well-established companies"; "he started the company in his garage" organized religion, religion, faith - an institution to express belief in a divine power; "he was raised in the Baptist religion"; "a member of his own faith contradicted him" educational institution - an institution dedicated to education honorary society, academy - an institution for the advancement of art or science or literature |
| 2. | institution - an establishment consisting of a building or complex of buildings where an organization for the promotion of some cause is situated establishment - a public or private structure (business or governmental or educational) including buildings and equipment for business or residence orphans' asylum, orphanage - a public institution for the care of orphans penal facility, penal institution - an institution where persons are confined for punishment and to protect the public | |
| 3. | institution - a custom that for a long time has been an important feature of some group or society; "the institution of marriage"; "the institution of slavery"; "he had become an institution in the theater" levirate - the biblical institution whereby a man must marry the widow of his childless brother in order to maintain the brother's line | |
| 4. | institution - the act of starting something for the first time; introducing something new; "she looked forward to her initiation as an adult"; "the foundation of a new scientific society"commencement, start, beginning - the act of starting something; "he was responsible for the beginning of negotiations" authorship, paternity - the act of initiating a new idea or theory or writing; "the authorship of the theory is disputed" | |
| 5. | institution - a hospital for mentally incompetent or unbalanced personcrazy house, cuckoo's nest, funny farm, funny house, loony bin, madhouse, nut house, nuthouse, sanatorium, snake pit, Bedlam - pejorative terms for an insane asylum |