INFRASTRUCTURE

Pronunciation (US):

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does infrastructure mean? 

• INFRASTRUCTURE (noun)
  The noun INFRASTRUCTURE has 2 senses:

1. the basic structure or features of a system or organization

2. the stock of basic facilities and capital equipment needed for the functioning of a country or area

  Familiarity information: INFRASTRUCTURE used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• INFRASTRUCTURE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The basic structure or features of a system or organization

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

infrastructure; substructure

Hypernyms ("infrastructure" is a kind of...):

structure (the manner of construction of something and the arrangement of its parts)

Holonyms ("infrastructure" is a part of...):

system (instrumentality that combines interrelated interacting artifacts designed to work as a coherent entity)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The stock of basic facilities and capital equipment needed for the functioning of a country or area

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

base; infrastructure

Context example:

the industrial base of Japan

Hypernyms ("infrastructure" is a kind of...):

fund; stock; store (a supply of something available for future use)

Meronyms (parts of "infrastructure"):

communication equipment; communication system (facility consisting of the physical plants and equipment for disseminating information)

fire station; firehouse (a station housing fire apparatus and firemen)

gas system (facility (plant and equipment) for providing natural-gas service)

main (a principal pipe in a system that distributes water or gas or electricity or that collects sewage)

penal facility; penal institution (an institution where persons are confined for punishment and to protect the public)

grid; power grid; power system (a system of high tension cables by which electrical power is distributed throughout a region)

public works (structures (such as highways or schools or bridges or docks) constructed at government expense for public use)

school system (establishment including the plant and equipment for providing education from kindergarten through high school)

sewage system; sewage works; sewer system (facility consisting of a system of sewers for carrying off liquid and solid sewage)

transit; transportation; transportation system (a facility consisting of the means and equipment necessary for the movement of passengers or goods)

water; water supply; water system (a facility that provides a source of water)

 Context examples 

In this sense, fast and portable diagnostic instruments for in situ analysis could provide a very interesting alternative to standard laboratories, reducing the need for costly infrastructure and applicable even in poorly-resourced areas.

(Scientists design platform to conduct chemical analysis using a smartphone, University of Granada)

A service available on a network infrastructure that coordinates resources that are not subject to central control, using open, general purpose protocols and interfaces to deliver nontrivial qualities of services.

(Grid Service, NCI Thesaurus)

Through the Cancer Molecular Analysis Project (CMAP), NCI facilitates the identification and evaluation of molecular targets by integrating comprehensive molecular characterizations of cancer and making the data and infrastructure publicly accessible.

(Cancer Molecular Analysis Project, NCI Thesaurus)

A group of researchers, cancer centers, and community doctors who provide infrastructure for studies of new cancer treatment, prevention, early detection, quality of life, and rehabilitation.

(Clinical Trials Cooperative Group, NCI Thesaurus/BRIDG)

Then as people began to leave, that may have made it harder to maintain the social unity needed for defense and new infrastructure.

(Scientists chart a baby boom in southwestern Native Americans from 500 to 1300 A.D., NSF)

Establishment of user facilities, acquisition of major instrumentation, and other activities that develop, support, or enhance the Nation's scientific infrastructure for the conduct of nanoscale science, engineering, and technology research and development.

(Major Research Facilities and Instrumentation Acquisition, NCI Thesaurus)

The aim is to create better infrastructures for citizens—from public transport to energy savings, sustainability, and overall efficiency.

(Scientists design “smart” asphalts with magnetic materials for safer electric scooters, University of Granada)

Proteins associated with the microtubule assembly infrastructure.

(Microtubule Associated Protein, NCI Thesaurus)

The Cancer Center Support Grant (P30) is an NCI grant to help fund designated centers' infrastructure of administration and core facilities.

(Cancer Center Support Grant, NCI Thesaurus)

The infrastructure and tools created by caBIG also have broad utility outside the cancer community. caBIG is being developed under the leadership of the National Cancer Institute's Center for Bioinformatics.

(Cancer Bioinformatics Grid, NCI Thesaurus)