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Added 9 October 2026

construe

/kənˈstɹuː/ noun

Latin root: construo Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about construe at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A translation.
An interpretation.

verb

To understand (something) as meaning, to take to mean.
To interpret (something) to another or publicly, explain the meaning of (something, usually language).
To analyze the grammatical structure of a clause or sentence; to parse.

Origin

From Middle English construen, from Late Latin construo, construere (“to relate grammatically”), from Latin construo (“pile together”); doublet of construct.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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