Construction is a broad phrase that refers to the art and science of creating items, systems, or organisations. It derives from Latin construction and Old French construction. The verb construction refers to the act of constructing, whereas the noun construction refers to how something is created and the nature of its structure.

Construction, in its most common usage, refers to the procedures involved in providing buildings, infrastructure, industrial facilities, and other operations from start to finish. Construction normally begins with planning, finance, and design and continues until the asset is completed and ready for use; it also includes repairs and maintenance work, any works to expand, extend, or improve the asset, and its final destruction, dismantling, or decommissioning.