Dictionary

establishment en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ɪˈstæb.lɪʃ.mənt/ (Australia, Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
• /əˈstɛb.ləʃ.mənt/ (New-Zealand)
• ĭ-stăb′lĭsh-mənt
• /ɪˈstab.lɪʃ.mənt/ (Scotland)
• /ɪˈstab.lɪʃ.mənt/ (Australia, Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation, also)
• /ɪˈstab.lɪʃ.mʌnt/ (Scotland)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- Proto-Indo-European *-éh₁ti Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éh₁yeti Proto-Indo-European *sth₂éh₁yeti Proto-Italic *staējō Proto-Italic *staēō Proto-Indo-European *-dʰlom Proto-Italic *-ðlom Proto-Italic *-ðlis Proto-Italic *staðlis? Latin stabilis Proto-Indo-European *-yétider. Latin -iō Latin stabilīre Old French establir Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥ Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥tom Proto-Italic *-mentom Latin -mentum Old French -ment Old French establissementbor. Middle English stablishment English establishment Inherited from Middle English *establishment, stablishment, stablisshement, from Old French establissement (modern French établissement), from the verb establir. By surface analysis, establish + -ment.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) The act or process of establishing; a ratifying or ordaining; settlement; confirmation.
   • The Ratification of the Conventions of nine States, shall be sufficient for the Establishment of this Constitution between the States so ratifying the Same. 1787, Article Seven of the United States Constitution:
   • Since their establishment of the company in 1984, they have grown into a global business.
2. (countable, uncountable) The state of being established, founded, etc.; fixed state.
   • The firm celebrated twenty years since their establishment by updating their look.
3. (countable, uncountable) That which is established; as a form of government, a permanent organization, business or force, or the place where one is permanently fixed for residence.
   • Pedro's is a fine establishment serving a variety of delicious food.
   • exposing the shabby parts of the establishment
4. (countable, uncountable) The ruling class or authority group in a society; especially, an entrenched authority dedicated to preserving the status quo.
   • It's often necessary to question the establishment to get things done.
   • But there is also real opposition to Nato expansion - and even to Nato's continued existence after the Cold War. This is a view shared by a very large part of Russia's military and foreign affairs establishment. 2002 November 22, Steven Eke, “Russia's rocky relationship with Nato”, in BBC World Service:
   • This story of how American originality lost its way is arresting and well told. On an alternate timeline without Donald Trump in office dismantling the American scientific establishment and Elon Musk kneecapping the American state, it might have been the manifesto of a new politics. 2025 March 18, Samuel Moyn, “Can Democrats Learn to Dream Big Again?”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, archived from the original on 27 Mar 2025:
   • The verdict means more upheaval for Thailand’s already turbulent political landscape, in which those pushing for change have frequently run afoul of the establishment – a small but powerful clique of military, royalist and business elites. 2024 August 14, “Thailand’s Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin removed from office in shock court ruling”, in CNN:
   • Seeing the British establishment struggle with the financial sector is like watching an alcoholic who still resists the idea that something drastic needs to happen for him to turn his life around. Until 2008 there was denial over what finance had become. When a series of bank failures made this impossible, there was widespread anger, leading to the public humiliation of symbolic figures. 2013 June 28, Joris Luyendijk, “Our banks are out of control”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 3, page 21:
   • It was clear that they viewed the British establishment as qualitatively different from the French establishment.
5. (countable, uncountable) The number of staff required to run a department or organisation (often used in the context of healthcare and other public services).
   • The cancer department has an establishment of 10 doctors and 30 nurses.
6. (countable, uncountable) The institution and official status of a church as a state church, especially that of the Church of England and historically of Ireland.
   • Not all Anglicans have supported establishment.

Forms

Antonyms

abolition · disestablishment

Deriveds

counterestablishment · establishment clause · peace establishment · reestablishment · preestablishment · war establishment · establishmentarian · establishment Republican · freedom of establishment · anti-establishment · eating establishment · re-establishment · establishment of the port · deestablishment · antiestablishment · antiestablishmentarianism · nonestablishment · coestablishment · establishment growth · establishmentism

Descendants

исте́блишмент · істе́блішмент · establishment · істэ́блішмент

Relateds

powers that be · antidisestablishmentarianism · Establishment

Synonyms

foundation · foundation

Translations (170)

nl vestiging (that which is established) · ko 설립 (the act of establishing) · fi yritys (that which is established) · de Gründung (the act of establishing) · da etablering (the act of establishing) · cmn 機關 /机关 (that which is established) · hu intézményes hatalom (the ruling class or authority group) · hu intézmény (that which is established) · eo establo (the act of establishing) · ast establecimientu (that which is established) · hi प्रतिष्ठान (that which is established) · he ייסוד \ יִסּוּד (the act of establishing) · ru истэ́блишмент (the ruling class or authority group) · uk заснува́ння (the act of establishing) · ar تَأْسِيس (the act of establishing) · ga bunaíocht (the state of being established) · el κατεστημένο (the ruling class or authority group) · uk устано́влення (the act of establishing) · cmn 設立 /设立 (the act of establishing) · oc establiment (the act of establishing) · ja エスタブリッシュメント (the ruling class or authority group) · pt estabelecimento (the state of being established) · be істэ́блішмент (the ruling class or authority group) · da etablissement (that which is established) · pt sistema (the ruling class or authority group) · ja 設置 (the act of establishing) · uk істе́блішмент (the ruling class or authority group) · bg учрежде́ние (that which is established) · ro instituție (that which is established) · da establishment (the ruling class or authority group) · fi perustaminen (the state of being established) · ca establishment (the ruling class or authority group) · el ίδρυση (the state of being established) · pl założenie (the act of establishing) · nn etablissement (the ruling class or authority group) · it creazione (the state of being established) · ja 支配階級 (the ruling class or authority group) · fr établissement (the state of being established) · ca establiment (that which is established) · pl ustanowienie (the act of establishing) · it insediamento (that which is established) · ro întreprindere (that which is established) · ko 기관 (that which is established) · ar تَأْسِيس (the state of being established) · de Erschaffung (the act of establishing) · vi tổ chức (that which is established) · da etablissement (the act of establishing) · sv etablerande (the act of establishing) · hi संस्थान (that which is established) · ru основа́ние (the act of establishing) · gd stèidheachadh (that which is established) · hu létrehozás (the act of establishing) · pt estabelecimento (that which is established) · it istituzione (the act of establishing) · ga bunaíocht (that which is established) · ru заведе́ние (that which is established) · hu fióktelep (that which is established) · es establecimiento (the act of establishing) · ro instituire (the act of establishing) · eo establiĝo (the act of establishing) · ka მმართველი კლასი (the ruling class or authority group) · ro colonie (that which is established) · it establishment (the ruling class or authority group) · he היווסד (the state of being established) · fr système (the ruling class or authority group) · fi valtaapitävät (the ruling class or authority group) · he מוֹסָד (that which is established) · fr établissement (the act of establishing) · es establecimiento (the state of being established) · da oprettelse (the act of establishing) · ru основа́ние (the state of being established) · eo establo (that which is established) · ja 既成勢力 (the ruling class or authority group) · ja 機関 (that which is established) · gd stèidheachadh (the act of establishing) · pl establishment (the ruling class or authority group) · ckb پێکھێنان (the act of establishing) · ota قوروم (the act of establishing) · ml സ്ഥാപനം (the act of establishing) · fr établissement (that which is established) · nl oprichting (the state of being established) · ru установле́ние (the act of establishing) · ro așezare (the act of establishing) · hu létesítés (the act of establishing) · hu szervezet (that which is established) · uk устано́ва (that which is established) · cmn 機構 /机构 (that which is established) · ga bunaíocht (the act of establishing) · ml സ്ഥാപനം (that which is established) · fi herrat (the ruling class or authority group) · nn etablissement (that which is established) · el καθεστώς (that which is established) · nl establishment (the ruling class or authority group) · hi स्थापना (the state of being established) · ja 施設 (the state of being established) · ja 設立 (the act of establishing) · hu alapítás (the act of establishing) · cmn 建立 (the act of establishing) · ckb پێکھێنان (the state of being established) · fi establishment (the ruling class or authority group) · hu megalapítás (the act of establishing) · pt fundação (the act of establishing) · ro întreprindere (the state of being established) · cmn 建制 (the ruling class or authority group) · it fondazione (the state of being established) · sv etablissemang (the ruling class or authority group) · ja 制度 (the state of being established) · pt estabelecimento (the act of establishing) · ro așezământ (that which is established) · ru исте́блишмент (the ruling class or authority group) · ka მმართველი წრე (the ruling class or authority group) · fr classe dirigeante (the ruling class or authority group) · ro stabiliment (the state of being established) · pt situação (the ruling class or authority group) · gl establecemento (the state of being established) · vi sự thành lập (the act of establishing) · de Herstellung (the act of establishing) · hu politikai vezető réteg (the ruling class or authority group) · el ίδρυση (the act of establishing) · ko 설치 (the act of establishing) · ar مُؤَسَّسَة (that which is established) · sh establišment (the ruling class or authority group) · bg основа́ване (the act of establishing) · hu létesítmény (that which is established) · sh vladajuća garnitura (the ruling class or authority group) · gd stèidheachadh (the state of being established) · de Etablissement (the act of establishing) · eo establado (the state of being established) · fi perustaminen (the act of establishing) · pl ustanawianie (the act of establishing) · ka ისტებლიშმენტი (the ruling class or authority group) · ca establiment (the act of establishing) · ro stabilire (the act of establishing) · cs etablissement (the ruling class or authority group) · eo estiĝo (the act of establishing) · sv etablering (the act of establishing) · he מִמְסָד (the ruling class or authority group) · gl establecemento (that which is established) · fr establishment (the ruling class or authority group) · it instaurazione (that which is established) · ast establecimientu (the act of establishing) · hu létrehozatal (the act of establishing) · pl establishment (the act of establishing) · el ίδρυμα (that which is established) · nl etablissement (the act of establishing) · nb etablissement (the ruling class or authority group) · it stabilimento (the act of establishing) · gl establecemento (the act of establishing) · ro așezământ (the state of being established) · nb etablissement (that which is established) · pl zakładanie (the act of establishing) · it classe dirigente (the ruling class or authority group) · ru учрежде́ние (the state of being established) · no etablissement (the act of establishing) · hi स्थापना (the act of establishing) · uk за́клад (that which is established) · ro instalare (the act of establishing) · sw uanzishwaji (the act of establishing) · nl oprichting (the act of establishing) · hi संगठन (that which is established) · an establimiento (the act of establishing) · nl bestel (that which is established) · an estableiximiento (the act of establishing) · eo establaĵo (that which is established) · it organico (staff required to run a department or organisation) · ru учрежде́ние (that which is established) · sv etablering (the state of being established) · es establecimiento (that which is established) · es establishment (the ruling class or authority group) · de Errichtung (the act of establishing)