WorldAugust 31, 2026

institutionalizes

in-stuh-TOO-shuh-nuh-laiz-iz

Definition

To establish something as a standard, accepted, and formal practice or part of an organization's regular operations.

Etymology

Derived from the word 'institution,' which comes from the Latin 'instituere' meaning to set up, establish, or build. It entered English to describe the act of giving something the formal structure or permanence of an established organization.

In the news

The author uses this term to explain that law enforcement agencies make the payment of sources a formal, regulated part of their operations, contrasting this with the lack of such rules in extremist research.

Indictments against a top extremism researcher and the SPLC force a reckoning on research ethics – an extremism scholar reflects on the field’s challenges

Read the full article ↗

Cobb Courier

Related words

Learn words like this every day

Meet new words every morning.

Newspoken pulls carefully chosen words from the day’s news — with clear definitions, context, and light review that makes them stick. Get it on your phone.