charter
n. countablen. a formal document that describes the rights, goals, or rules of an organization or a country. It acts like a high-level agreement that explains how a group should be run.
n. a formal document issued by a sovereign or state, outlining the rights, privileges, and functions of a body corporate or social institution. Often functions as a foundational legal instrument for international organizations or municipalities.
The city received its official charter in 1920.
The university's royal charter outlines the specific powers granted to the board of governors regarding academic freedom.
The United Nations Charter serves as the foundational treaty of the organization, establishing the rights and obligations of member states and the procedures for maintaining international peace.
From Middle English charter, chartre, borrowed from Old French chartre, from Latin chartula (diminutive of charta). See chart. Doublet of chartula.
Often used with the definite article when referring to a specific founding document; frequently paired with adjectives like 'royal', 'founding', or 'constitutional'.