# institution

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˌɪn.stɪˈtʃuː.ʃən/ · frequency rank #3,565

## Definitions
1. A custom or practice of a society or community.
2. A long-established organization or type of organization, particularly one involved with education, public service, or charity work.
3. The building or buildings which house such an organization.
4. A mental institution.
5. Any facility where people (especially those who are mentally or physically disabled or sick, or who are prisoners) are committed (confined), where their freedom to leave is restricted.
6. Any long established and respected place or business.
7. A person long established in a place, position, or field.
8. The act of instituting something.
9. The act by which a bishop commits a cure of souls to a priest.
10. That which institutes or instructs, particularly a textbook or system of elements or rules.
11. A correctional institution.

## Etymology
From Middle English institucioun, from Old French institution, from Latin institūtiō, from instituō (“to set up”), from in- (“in, on”) + statuō (“to set up, establish”). Equivalent to institute + -ion.

## Easily confused with
- **institutions** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/institution-vs-institutions)
- **institutional** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/institution-vs-institutional)
- **instigation** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/instigation-vs-institution)

## Common misspellings (17)
`innstitution`, `insittution`, `insstitution`, `instittuion`, `instittution`, `instituiton`, `institusion`, `institutino`, `institutionn`, `institutoin`, `instituttion`, `instiuttion`, `insttitution`, `insttiution`, `intsitution`, `isntitution`, `nistitution`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/institution