An institute is an organisational body created for a certain purpose.
In some countries, such as South Korea and India, private schools are sometimes referred to as institutes; also, in Spain, secondary schools are referred to as institutes.
The word "institute" comes from the Latin word institutum ("facility" or "habit"), in turn derived from instituere ("build", "create", "raise" or "educate").
In the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man, the term "institute" is a protected word and companies or other organizations may only use the word if they are "organisations which are carrying out research at the highest level or to professional bodies of the highest standing".
Use of the title "institute" requires approval from the Secretary of State.