institutional
/ˌɪn.stɪˈtjuː.ʃən.əl/ IELTSAcademic
adjective
Connected with an institution, especially an official organization, school, hospital, or government body. It can also describe something done in a formal, organized system, not by one person alone.
- The hospital has strong institutional support.
- They wanted institutional change, not a small fix.
- She works in institutional finance.
Adinary Nuance
Institutional is more specific than formal or organized. Use it when something belongs to, or happens through, a large institution like a university, company, or government. It is different from personal, individual, or casual. In business and academic writing, it often sounds neutral and serious.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- thuộc thể chế
- Spanish
- institucional
- Chinese
- 制度的
- Japanese
- 組織の
- Korean
- 제도적
Etymology
Institutional comes from institution, which entered English from Latin institutionem, meaning 'arrangement' or 'training'. The adjective has been used in English since the 17th century.
Common phrases
institutional supportinstitutional changeinstitutional reforminstitutional framework
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is institutional a formal word?
- Yes. It is common in academic, business, and policy writing.
- What is the difference between institutional and organizational?
- Institutional usually means linked to a formal institution. Organizational focuses more on how something is arranged or managed.
- Can I use institutional for a person?
- Usually no. It describes systems, bodies, or structures, not individual people.