pro-constitutionalism
|pro-consti-tu-tion-al-ism|
🇺🇸
/proʊˌkɑnstɪˈtuːʃənəlɪzəm/
🇬🇧
/prəʊˌkɒnstɪˈtjuːʃənəlɪzəm/
support for the constitution
Etymology
'pro-constitutionalism' originates from Latin-derived prefix 'pro-' (from Latin 'pro') and the noun 'constitutionalism' (from 'constitution' + suffix '-al' + '-ism'), where 'pro-' meant 'for' and 'constitution' ultimately comes from Latin 'constitutio' meaning 'a setting up, ordinance'.
'pro-constitutionalism' changed from the combination of the prefix 'pro-' (Latin) and the later English noun 'constitutionalism' (which developed from Middle English/French 'constitution' derived from Latin 'constitutio'), and eventually became the modern English compound 'pro-constitutionalism'.
Initially the elements meant 'for' (pro-) and 'a setting up/ordinance' (constitutio), and over time the compound's sense evolved into the modern political meaning 'support for constitutional government or for limiting government by a constitution.'
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the belief in or advocacy for constitutional government or for the principle that a state's authority is limited and regulated by a constitution.
Her pro-constitutionalism guided her work on electoral reform and checks on executive power.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/22 19:03