The term 'pertaining to construction' can be summarized by the word 'tectonic, ' which is an 8-letter word. Tectonic refers to the study of the structure of the Earth's crust and the forces that cause it to move and deform. It is a branch of geology that deals with the large-scale processes that shape the Earth's surface. Tectonic processes are responsible for the formation of mountains, volcanoes, and other features of the Earth's surface.