Origin: Latin suffix -ment
Establishment has 9 different meanings across 1 category:
the act of forming or establishing something
"the constitution of a PTA group last year"
"it was the establishment of his reputation"
"he still remembers the organization of the club"
an organization founded and united for a specific purpose
"The new medical establishment was formed to provide affordable care to rural communities."
the persons (or committees or departments etc.) who make up a body for the purpose of administering something
"he claims that the present administration is corrupt"
"the governance of an association is responsible to its members"
"he quickly became recognized as a member of the establishment"
a public or private structure (business or governmental or educational) including buildings and equipment for business or residence
"The new community center plans to convert the old factory into its main establishment, providing both office space and housing for staff."
any large organization
"After years of struggling to open his own shop, he finally managed to get a job at a major retail establishment."
(ecology) the process by which a plant or animal becomes established in a new habitat
"After years of struggling to survive, the invasive dandelion finally succeeded in its establishment within the local meadow."
the cognitive process of establishing a valid proof
"The mathematician spent years trying to establish the validity of his new theorem through rigorous logical proof, but he never succeeded in fully establishing it as an accepted fact within the academic community."
The act of establishing; a ratifying or ordaining; settlement; confirmation.
"The new policy faced immediate backlash from parts of the traditional establishment who feared it would undermine their long-standing influence."
Alternative form of establishment (“ruling class”)
In plain English: The establishment is the group of people who hold power and control the government or society.
"The local cafe became a popular gathering spot for the neighborhood establishment."
Usage: As a noun, establishment refers to an organization or institution that has been founded and set up to perform a specific function. Do not use this term to mean the ruling class, which is a specialized political definition rather than common usage.
The word establishment comes from the Old French verb establir via Middle English. It originally referred to the act of setting something firmly in place or founding an institution, a meaning that has remained consistent as it traveled into English.