infrastructure

noun

in·​fra·​struc·​ture ˈin-frə-ˌstrək-chər 

-(ˌ)frä-

1

: the system of public works of a country, state, or region

also : the resources (such as personnel, buildings, or equipment) required for an activity

2

: the underlying foundation or basic framework (as of a system or organization)

3

: the permanent installations required for military purposes

infrastructural

ˈin-frə-ˌstrək-chə-rəl  -ˌstrək-shrəl 

-(ˌ)frä-

adjective

Did you know?

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

• architecture
• armature
• cadre
• configuration
• edifice
• fabric
• frame
• framework
• framing
• shell
• skeleton
• structure

Examples of infrastructure in a Sentence

More money is needed to save the crumbling infrastructure of the nation's rural areas.

We need to spend more money on maintaining and repairing infrastructure.

Recent Examples on the Web

Everton’s new American owners at The Friedkin Group (TFG) are keen to explore the potential of transforming the surrounding dockside area into an entertainment district, even if there are still significant issues with local transport infrastructure. —Gregg Evans, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025

But some analysts have pointed out that a ceasefire in the Black Sea and a pause on strikes against energy infrastructure could be disadvantageous to Ukraine. —Angus Watson, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2025

Before the vote, the council received a separate funding request from the Active Transportation Commission, which advises on pedestrian and cycling infrastructure. —Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 26 Mar. 2025

These are built on classical semiconductor infrastructure, which is still far more scalable and cost-effective than other more exotic quantum technologies right now. —Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1927, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for infrastructure

• macrostructure
• microstructure
• nanostructure
• superstructure
• ultrastructure
• restructure
• substructure
• structure

Kids Definition

infrastructure

noun

in·​fra·​struc·​ture ˈin-frə-ˌstrək-chər 

1

: the underlying foundation or basic framework (as of a system or organization)

2

: the system of public works of a country, state, or region

also : the resources (as people, buildings, or equipment) required for an activity