infrastructure
noun
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Infra- means "below;" so the infrastructure is the "underlying structure" of a country and its economy, the fixed installations that it needs in order to function. These include roads, bridges, dams, the water and sewer systems, railways and subways, airports, and harbors. These are generally government-built and publicly owned. Some people also speak about such things as the intellectual infrastructure or the infrastructure of science research, but the meaning of such notions can be extremely vague.
Synonyms
Examples of infrastructure in a Sentence
Alex Thomas, arkansasonline.com, 14 Apr. 2024
While these two political lightweights dither, people are dying, as Ukrainian soldiers run out of artillery shells and Russia bombs civilian homes and infrastructure in large Ukrainian cities that lack air defenses.
—Trudy Rubin, Twin Cities, 12 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for infrastructure 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'infrastructure.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
1927, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Dictionary Entries Near infrastructure
Cite this Entry
“Infrastructure.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/infrastructure. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
infrastructure
noun
More from Merriam-Webster on infrastructure
Nglish: Translation of infrastructure for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of infrastructure for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about infrastructure
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