infrastructure
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
the basic systems a country needs, like roads, bridges, water pipes, and electricity.
the physical and organisational facilities, such as transport and communication networks, necessary for the functioning of a society.
Simple“The government is spending more money to repair the city's aging infrastructure.”
In context“Significant investment in public infrastructure, particularly high-speed rail and digital connectivity, is essential for long-term economic growth in the region.”
UsageOften used as an uncountable noun when referring to the general system of a country.
Synonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
the internal parts or foundation of a system or organization.
the underlying base or framework of a system, organization, or building.
Simple“The company needs to improve its IT infrastructure before it can hire more staff.”
In context“The existing corporate infrastructure proved inadequate for the rapid scaling required by the new international merger.”
UsageCan be used countably to refer to specific technical or organizational setups.
Synonyms
Usage infrastructure the country
“Last winter, Russia caused up to $70bn of damage to Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, and nearly succeeded in plunging Kyiv into darkness.”
“The developments follow Russian attacks a day earlier that damaged port infrastructure and caused power cuts in Izmail, a vital export hub on the Danube River near the Romanian border.”
Borrowed from French infrastructure, equivalent to infra- + structure.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.