con·sti·tu·tion·al·ize

(kŏn′stĭ-to͞o′shə-nə-līz′, -tyo͞o′-)

tr.v. con·sti·tu·tion·al·ized, con·sti·tu·tion·al·iz·ing, con·sti·tu·tion·al·iz·es

1. To provide with or make subject to a constitution.

2. To incorporate into or sanction under a constitution: "The Fourteenth Amendment ... constitutionalized the vast shift of power from the states to the federal government, which the Civil War had accomplished" (Eric Foner).

3. To treat (an inappropriate matter) as being subject to constitutional law: "Today a like kind of wisdom might caution against constitutionalizing every grievance that might (or might not) appear tomorrow" (Potter Stewart).

con′sti·tu′tion·al·i·za′tion (-lĭ-zā′shən) n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

constitutionalize

(ˌkɒnstɪˈtjuːənəˌlaɪz) or

constitutionalise

vb (tr)

1. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) to provide with a constitution

2. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) to incorporate (something) into a constitution

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

con•sti•tu•tion•al•ize

(ˌkɒn stɪˈtu ʃə nlˌaɪz, -ˈtyu-)

v.t. -ized, -iz•ing.

1. to incorporate in a constitution; make constitutional.

2. to provide a constitution for.

[1825–35]

con`sti•tu`tion•al•i•za′tion, n.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Verb	1.	constitutionalize - provide with a constitution, as of a country; "The United States were constitutionalized in the late 18th century" furnish, provide, supply, render - give something useful or necessary to; "We provided the room with an electrical heater"
	2.	constitutionalize - take a walk for one's health or to aid digestion, as after a meal; "A good way of exercising is to constitutionalize" take the air, walk - take a walk; go for a walk; walk for pleasure; "The lovers held hands while walking"; "We like to walk every Sunday"
	3.	constitutionalize - incorporate into a constitution, make constitutional; "A woman's right to an abortion was constitutionalized in the 1970's" constitutionalise alter, change, modify - cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; "The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city"; "The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue"

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References in periodicals archive

Meanwhile, the president of Americans United for Life scoffs at such "ominous warnings," insisting that "women can, and will, flourish in a society that does not constitutionalize abortion on demand."

C PLAN

Recently, the House of Representatives (the lower house of the parliament) has passed new amendments to judicial laws regulating the highest judicial authorities to constitutionalize President Sisi's 2017 move that broadened his power over the judiciary authority.

Sisi appoints Saeed Marie as head of Constitutional Court

During his keynote speech at a lecture on environmental justice held in Quezon City in mid-April, Puno underscored the need to "constitutionalize" the right to a healthy environment by including it in the Bill of Rights.

'Right to healthy environment should be in Charter'

Former Chief Justice Reynato Puno believes on the need for the Philippines to 'constitutionalize' the right to a healthy environment by including it in the Bill of Rights.

Former CJ Puno proposes to include right to safe and healthy environment in the Constitution

These provisions, write Kimberly Shankman and Roger Pilon, were designed "to constitutionalize the natural rights philosophy of the Declaration of Independence." (14) John Quincy Adams and others had thought it was already constitutionalized, but the amendment ensured there'd be no ifs, ands, or buts.

The Declaration of Independence Is the Moral and Legal Foundation of America

Since Con-com is tasked to review the current Constitution and to submit its final draft of the proposed Constitution to the President on July 19, days before the Chief Executive's State of the Nation Address, Puno said it's all up to legislature and the Supreme Court to strengthen these rights, which they are hoping to constitutionalize.

Mining, tourism woes make environmental rights a must

Vehement debate among parliament members following the initial plans to constitutionalize the Constitutional Court reflected a diversity of needs to reform the law and its institutions.

Constitutional Court and Democracy in Indonesia

ample room to constitutionalize justification-based defences within the

Self-Defence and the Constitution

Gonzalez's "Notwithstanding Clause" is the antithesis of any purported "restoration of] the balance of power among the three branches of government." It would constitutionalize complete surrender of individual and minority rights to the will, prejudices, and passions of the majority, something the framers specifically warned against and designed our Constitution to prevent.

Overriding court decisions

(203) Indeed, the historical record strongly suggests that the state's impetus for the enactment of the Clause was to constitutionalize the repeal of the rate bill, and thus constitutionalize free schooling.

A lesson from the New York teacher tenure challenge: Distinguishing legislative action from inaction within positive rights analysis

They both frequently refer to Chief Justice Dickson's powerful dissent in the 1987 Alberta Reference (where the Court refused to constitutionalize a right to strike).

What the Supreme Court rulings mean for the labour movement

A book such as his, discussing how to constitutionalize the rules on secession, takes a different tack.

Constitutionalising Secession