establishment
ih-STAB-lihsh-muhnt
Establishment (noun) means a business, organization, or institution, especially one with a physical location. Example: “The restaurant is a well-known establishment on the high street.”
noun
1
A business, organization, or institution, especially one with a physical location.
"The restaurant is a well-known establishment on the high street."
"They run a small drinking establishment near the harbour."
"Our village has just one eating establishment, and it is always full on Fridays."
2
The act of setting something up permanently, or the state of being set up.
"The establishment of the new committee took several months of planning."
"The establishment of a daily routine helped the children feel safe in their new home."
"Nobody expected the establishment of the village library to happen so quickly."
3
The powerful, entrenched group in a society or field that tends to protect the existing order.
"The politician campaigned as an outsider against the establishment."
"Young artists often feel shut out by the art establishment and its old rules."
"Some members of the establishment resisted every attempt to change how the club was run."
How to use establishment
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither a business/institution, the act of setting one up, or (capitalized in meaning) the powerful insiders who run things.
Common mistake
When it means "the powerful elite," it's often used with "the" — "the Establishment" — and carries a slightly critical tone.
Common pairings
a drinking establishment
fight the establishment
establishment of a fund
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Word forms
- Plural
- establishments
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The restaurant is a well-known _____ on the high street.
Etymology
From Old French establissement, built on establir — see "establish."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
abolition
disestablishment
Related words
Rhymes for establishment
See all rhymes for establishment →Frequently asked questions
What does “establishment” mean?
The word “establishment” means a business, organization, or institution, especially one with a physical location. In plain terms, either a business/institution, the act of setting one up, or (capitalized in meaning) the powerful insiders who run things.
How do you pronounce “establishment”?
“Establishment” is pronounced ih-STAB-lihsh-muhnt (/ɪˈstæblɪʃmənt/ in IPA).
How do you use “establishment” in a sentence?
Here is “establishment” used in a sentence: “The restaurant is a well-known establishment on the high street.”
What is the opposite of “establishment”?
The opposite of “establishment” — its antonyms — are abolition and disestablishment.
What part of speech is “establishment”?
“Establishment” is a noun.
Where does the word “establishment” come from?
The word “establishment” comes from Old French. From Old French establissement, built on establir — see "establish.".
Is “establishment” a common word?
“Establishment” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “establishment” have?
“Establishment” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a business, organization, or institution, especially one with a physical location.
What is an example of an establishment?
Any business or institution with premises: a restaurant, café, shop, hotel, bank, hospital, or school. You'll see phrases like "a fine dining establishment" or "a licensed establishment." The word stresses that there's an organized operation, usually running from a physical location.
What does "the Establishment" mean?
With a capital E, "the Establishment" refers to the powerful, long-standing group of people and institutions that hold authority in society — in politics, business, media, and tradition — and tend to defend the existing order. It's often used critically to describe those who resist change.
What is the difference between an establishment and a business?
They overlap, and "establishment" often simply means a business. The nuance is that "establishment" emphasizes a set-up operation with a physical location — a venue you can walk into — while "business" is broader and can include online-only or one-person ventures with no premises at all.
What are the different meanings of "establishment"?
Three main ones: a business or institution with premises, as in a dining establishment; the act of setting something up, as in the establishment of a new law; and "the Establishment," meaning the powerful groups that run society. Context makes clear which sense is intended.
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