constitutionally
Meaning
in a way that is in accordance with a political constitution
in a way that relates to the composition or nature of something
Structure
Usage
the court ruled that the law was constitutionally valid.
he is constitutionally incapable of dishonesty.
the president is constitutionally obligated to deliver a state of the union address.
Etymology
the word "constitutionally" is built upon the latin verb 'constituere', meaning 'to set up' or 'to establish', which itself is a compound of 'con-' (together) and 'statuere' (to set, to place). the noun 'constitution' originally referred to the physical or legal establishment of something. the '-al' suffix transforms this noun into the adjective 'constitutional', describing something pertaining to that established order or makeup. finally, the old english adverbial suffix '-ly' is appended, creating a word that describes an action performed in a manner consistent with a constitution or inherent nature. thus, the term's journey reflects a progression from the concrete act of setting things together to the abstract concepts of legal governance and inherent quality.
Analysis
- constitution: from latin 'constitutio' (act of setting up, arrangement), from 'constituere' (to set up, establish). functions as the core noun base. - al: from latin '-alis' (adjective-forming suffix). functions to convert the noun into an adjective. - ly: from old english '-lice' (adverb-forming suffix). functions to convert the adjective into an adverb.