Relating to large organizations or established systems in society, especially their rules, structures, or habits.
From 'institution' + '-al', formed in English. It grew common in discussions of social systems, law, and politics.
When something is ‘institutional,’ it’s baked into the structure, not just done by a few people. That’s why ‘institutional change’ is so hard—you’re not just changing minds, you’re changing the architecture those minds live in.
“Institutional” often describes entrenched patterns, including institutional sexism that limited women’s access to education, property, and political power. These biases were encoded in laws, norms, and organizational structures rather than just individual attitudes.
Use “institutional” to highlight systemic patterns, including institutional barriers faced by women and gender-diverse people, not only individual prejudice. Be concrete about which institutions and policies are involved.
["systemic","structural","organization-wide"]
When analyzing institutional change, credit women and marginalized groups who organized to expose and dismantle institutional discrimination, leading to reforms in law, education, and workplaces.
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