treaty

[tree-tee]

noun

plural

treaties 

1. a formal agreement between two or more states in reference to peace, alliance, commerce, or other international relations.

2. the formal document embodying such an international agreement.

3. any agreement or compact.

treaty

/ ˈtriːtɪ /

noun

1. 1. a formal agreement or contract between two or more states, such as an alliance or trade arrangement

   2. the document in which such a contract is written

2. any international agreement

3. any pact or agreement

4. an agreement between two parties concerning the purchase of property at a price privately agreed between them

5. archaic,  negotiation towards an agreement

6. 1. any of the formal agreements between Indian bands and the federal government by which the Indians surrender their land rights in return for various forms of aid

   2. ( as modifier )

      treaty Indians

      treaty money

7. an obsolete word for entreaty

Other Word Forms

• nontreaty noun
• treatyless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of treaty¹

1350–1400; Middle English trete < Anglo-French < Latin tractātus tractate

Word History and Origins

Origin of treaty¹

C14: from Old French traité , from Medieval Latin tractātus treaty, from Latin: discussion, from tractāre to manage; see _treat

Example Sentences

She said the country had relied too heavily on selling goods, such as commodities like energy and minerals, to the U.S. tariff-free under the provisions of a North American trade treaty.

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Because each state under this treaty expressly retained its “sovereignty,” the best reading was that each state would decide for itself who was and was not a citizen of that state.

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But the treaty was buffeted by tensions over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

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But while strongly-worded opinions over whether or not to pull out of the treaty make for easy headlines, the consequences are deeply complicated.

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A formal peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia has not yet been signed, but one thing is clear: since the Washington meeting, not a single shot has been fired on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border.

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