# institutionalization

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˌɪnstɪˌtjuːʃnəlaɪˈzeɪʃən/ · frequency rank #64,447

## Definitions
1. The process of establishing a practice as a norm.
2. The process of committing a person to a facility where their freedom to leave will be restrained, usually a mental hospital.
3. The presence of social deficits or disabilities as a result of a long period spent in a prison, mental hospitals, etc.

## Etymology
From institutional + -ization.

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