infrastructure

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   An underlying base or foundation for a building, organization, or system.

   Near-synonyms: understructure, underpinnings, underbuilding, underframework

2. 2
   noun

   The facilities, services and installations needed for the functioning of a community or society.

   Meronyms: (literally, large objects and portions thereof) structures, substructures, understructures, superstructures

3. 3
   noun

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

4. 4
   noun

   the basic structure or features of a system or organization

Etymology

Borrowed from French infrastructure, equivalent to infra- + structure.