Dictionary
institutionalize
verb in·sti·tu·tion·al·ize \-shnə-ˌlīz, -shə-nə-ˌlīz\
: to cause (a custom, practice, law, etc.) to become accepted and used by many people : to establish (something) as an institution
: to put (someone, such as a mentally ill person) in an institution (sense 1b)
in·sti·tu·tion·al·izedin·sti·tu·tion·al·iz·ing
Full Definition of INSTITUTIONALIZE
transitive verb
1
: to make into an institution : give character of an institution to <institutionalized housing>; especially : to incorporate into a structured and often highly formalized system <institutionalized values>
2
: to put in the care of an institution <institutionalize alcoholics>
— in·sti·tu·tion·al·i·za·tion \-ˌtü-shnə-lə-ˈzā-shən, -shə-nə-lə-ˈzā-\ noun
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First Known Use of INSTITUTIONALIZE
1865
Medical Dictionary
institutionalize
transitive verb in·sti·tu·tion·al·ize
in·sti·tu·tion·al·ized or chiefly British in·sti·tu·tion·al·isedin·sti·tu·tion·al·iz·ing or chiefly British in·sti·tu·tion·al·is·ing
Medical Definition of INSTITUTIONALIZE
1
: to place in or commit to an institution (as a nursing home or hospital) offering specialized care (as for mental illness, substance abuse, or terminal illness)
2
: to accustom (a person) so firmly to the care and supervised routine of an institution as to make incapable of managing a life outside
—in·sti·tu·tion·al·iza·tion or chiefly British in·sti·tu·tion·al·isa·tion \-ˌt(y)ü-shnəl-ə-ˈzā-shən, -ˌt(y)ü-shən-əl-\ noun
Variants of INSTITUTIONALIZE
in·sti·tu·tion·al·ize or chiefly British in·sti·tu·tion·al·ise \ˌin(t)-stə-ˈt(y)ü-shnəl-ˌīz, -shən-əl-\
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