First Known Use: 13th century
Dictionary
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
1
: a written instrument or contract (as a deed) executed in due form
2
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
3
: a written instrument from the authorities of a society creating a lodge or branch
4
: a special privilege, immunity, or exemption
5
: a mercantile lease of a ship or some principal part of it
6
: 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
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
1
a : to establish, enable, or convey by charter b British : certify <a chartered mechanical engineer>
2
: to hire, rent, or lease for usually exclusive and temporary use <chartered a boat for deep-sea fishing>
— char·ter·er \-tər-ər\ noun
See charter defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of CHARTER
15th century
Related to CHARTER
- 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>.
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>
See charter defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of CHARTER
1922
CHARTER Defined for Kids
1charter
noun char·ter \ˈchär-tər\
Definition of CHARTER for Kids
1
: an official document setting out the rights and duties of a group <The charter grants broad trading rights.>
2
: a document which declares that a city, town, school, or corporation has been established
3
: a document that describes the basic laws or principles of a group <the charity's charter>
2charter
verb
char·teredchar·ter·ing
Definition of CHARTER for Kids
1
: to grant a charter to <The city was chartered in 1853.>
2
: to hire (as a bus or an aircraft) for temporary use <The team chartered a plane.>
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