construct.

An abstract concept formulated to organize or explain observations.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• theoretical construct
• measure a construct
• social construct

On the page

Social trust is a construct that cannot be measured by one question alone.

The researchers defined the construct before selecting survey items.

Calling a category a social construct does not mean its consequences are imaginary.

Usage notes

Primary category: academic. Noun stress falls on the first syllable; the verb has a different stress. In research, a construct such as trust needs an explicit definition and appropriate measures. Singular: construct; plural: constructs. Derived family (not inflections): construction, constructivism; construct also functions as a verb. Secondary verb inflections [base, third, past, past participle, -ing]: construct, constructs, constructed, constructed, constructing.