Origin: Latin suffix -ure
Structure has 8 different meanings across 2 categories:
a thing constructed; a complex entity constructed of many parts
"the structure consisted of a series of arches"
"she wore her hair in an amazing construction of whirls and ribbons"
the manner of construction of something and the arrangement of its parts
"artists must study the structure of the human body"
"the structure of the benzene molecule"
the complex composition of knowledge as elements and their combinations
"his lectures have no structure"
a particular complex anatomical part of a living thing and its construction and arrangement
"he has good bone structure"
the people in a society considered as a system organized by a characteristic pattern of relationships
"the social organization of England and America is very different"
"sociologists have studied the changing structure of the family"
A cohesive whole built up of distinct parts.
"The team admired how the complex structure of the new library held together so well despite being made of many different materials."
In plain English: Structure is the way parts of something are arranged to hold it together.
"The new library has a striking glass structure that lets in plenty of light."
To give structure to; to arrange.
"The teacher helped organize the students' chaotic notes into a clear structure for their presentation."
In plain English: To structure something means to organize its parts so everything fits together in a planned way.
"The company is working to structure its budget more carefully for the coming year."
Usage: Use this verb when you actively organize or impose order on something, such as arranging the chapters of a book. It differs from nouns like "framework," which describe the result rather than the act of organizing.
The word "structure" entered English from Middle French and originally referred to the act of fitting things together or building an edifice. It derives from the Latin verb struere, which means to pile up, arrange, or assemble materials into a construction.