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¹charter

noun char·ter \ˈchär-tər\

: a document issued by a government that gives rights to a person or group

: a document which declares that a city, town, school, or corporation has been established

: a document that describes the basic laws, principles, etc., of a group

Full Definition of CHARTER

: a written instrument or contract (as a deed) executed in due form

a : a grant or guarantee of rights, franchises, or privileges from the sovereign power of a state or country

b : a written instrument that creates and defines the franchises of a city, educational institution, or corporation

c : constitution

: a written instrument from the authorities of a society creating a lodge or branch

: a special privilege, immunity, or exemption

: a mercantile lease of a ship or some principal part of it

: a charter travel arrangement

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Origin of CHARTER

Middle English chartre, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin chartula, from Latin, diminutive of charta

First Known Use: 13th century

Rhymes with CHARTER

barter, carter, darter, garter, martyr, starter, tartar

²charter

verb

: to give a charter to (a government, corporation, etc.)

: to hire (a ship, bus, etc.) for temporary use

Full Definition of CHARTER

transitive verb

a : to establish, enable, or convey by charter

b British : certify <a chartered mechanical engineer>

: to hire, rent, or lease for usually exclusive and temporary use <chartered a boat for deep-sea fishing>

— char·ter·er \-tər-ər\ noun

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First Known Use of CHARTER

15th century

Related to CHARTER

Synonyms: hire, engage, lease, rent

Antonyms: disqualify

Synonym Discussion of CHARTER

hire, let, lease, rent, charter mean to engage or grant for use at a price. hire and let, strictly speaking, are complementary terms, hire implying the act of engaging or taking for use and let the granting of use <we hired a car for the summer> <decided to let the cottage to a young couple>. lease strictly implies a letting under the terms of a contract but is often applied to hiring on a lease <the diplomat leased an apartment for a year>. rent stresses the payment of money for the full use of property and may imply either hiring or letting <instead of buying a house, they decided to rent> <will not rent to families with children>. charter applies to the hiring or letting of a vehicle usually for exclusive use <charter a bus to go to the game>.

Other Transportation Terms

camber, corduroy, demurrage, milestone

Rhymes with CHARTER

barter, carter, garter, martyr, starter, tartar

³charter

adjective

: hired for temporary use

Full Definition of CHARTER

: of, relating to, or being a travel arrangement in which transportation (as a bus or plane) is hired by and for one specific group of people <a charter flight>

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