charter
Americannoun
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a document, issued by a sovereign or state, outlining the conditions under which a corporation, colony, city, or other corporate body is organized, and defining its rights and privileges.
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(often initial capital letter) a document defining the formal organization of a corporate body; constitution.
the Charter of the United Nations.
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authorization from a central or parent organization to establish a new branch, chapter, etc.
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a grant by a sovereign power creating a corporation, as the royal charters granted to British colonies in America.
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Also called charter party. a contract by which part or all of a ship is leased for a voyage or a stated time.
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a tour, vacation, or trip by charter arrangement.
The travel agency is offering charters to Europe and the Caribbean.
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special privilege or immunity.
verb (used with object)
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to establish by charter.
to charter a bank.
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to lease or hire for exclusive use.
The company will charter six buses for the picnic.
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to give special favor or privilege to.
adjective
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of or relating to a method of travel in which the transportation is specially leased or hired for members of a group or association.
a charter flight to Europe.
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that can be leased or hired for exclusive or private use.
a charter boat for deep-sea fishing.
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done or held in accordance with a charter.
a charter school.
noun
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a formal document from the sovereign or state incorporating a city, bank, college, etc, and specifying its purposes and rights
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(sometimes capital) a formal document granting or demanding from the sovereign power of a state certain rights or liberties
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a document issued by a society or an organization authorizing the establishment of a local branch or chapter
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a special privilege or exemption
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(often capital) the fundamental principles of an organization; constitution
the Charter of the United Nations
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the hire or lease of transportation
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the agreement or contract regulating this
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( as modifier )
a charter flight
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a law, policy, or decision containing a loophole which allows a specified group to engage more easily in an activity considered undesirable
a beggars' charter
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maritime law another word for charterparty
verb
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to lease or hire by charterparty
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to hire (a vehicle, etc)
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to grant a charter of incorporation or liberties to (a group or person)
Usage
What does charter mean? A charter is a document that defines the exact structure, rights, and organization of a state, colony, corporation, or similar, as in The American colonies were governed by charters authorized by the king of England.A charter is also authorization from a central organization for a sub-organization, like a chapter or branch.To charter means to establish a sub-organization, like a branch or colony, as in The company just chartered its fourth branch this year.A charter can also describe a trip or method of transportation that is organized and established by a corporation or group.Related to this, to charter means to rent or lease for exclusive use, such as for a trip, as in The school chartered buses to take the soccer team to away games.Example: The Charter of the United Nations established the basis for what the organization is today.
Related Words
See hire.
Other Word Forms
- charterable adjective
- charterage noun
- charterer noun
- charterless adjective
- recharter verb (used with object)
- subcharter noun
Etymology
Origin of charter
First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English chartre from Old French from Latin chartul(a) “little paper,” equivalent to chart(a) ( charta ) + -ula -ule
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The plane was chartered from a Malta-based company, Harmony Jets, which maintains its fleet in Lyon, France.
From Barron's
Inclusion in an index tends to boost a stock, because exchange-traded and mutual funds that track said index are required by their charters to buy shares.
From Barron's
A first group of about 50 people flew to the US on a chartered plane - it is not clear how many others have moved, or are in the process of applying.
From BBC
Eliot was among five public or charter schools that burned down or were badly damaged nearly a year ago.
From Los Angeles Times
Digital asset and crypto companies are gaining more banking powers, such as gathering the deposits once limited only to chartered, tightly regulated banks.
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
