charter

[chahr-ter]

noun

1. 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.

2. (often initial capital letter),  a document defining the formal organization of a corporate body; constitution.

   the Charter of the United Nations.

3. authorization from a central or parent organization to establish a new branch, chapter, etc.

4. a grant by a sovereign power creating a corporation, as the royal charters granted to British colonies in America.

5. Also called charter party. a contract by which part or all of a ship is leased for a voyage or a stated time.

6. a tour, vacation, or trip by charter arrangement.

   The travel agency is offering charters to Europe and the Caribbean.

7. special privilege or immunity.

verb (used with object)

1. to establish by charter.

   to charter a bank.

2. to lease or hire for exclusive use.

   The company will charter six buses for the picnic.

3. to give special favor or privilege to.

adjective

1. 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.

2. that can be leased or hired for exclusive or private use.

   a charter boat for deep-sea fishing.

3. done or held in accordance with a charter.

   a charter school.

charter

/ ˈtʃɑːtə /

noun

1. a formal document from the sovereign or state incorporating a city, bank, college, etc, and specifying its purposes and rights

2. (sometimes capital) a formal document granting or demanding from the sovereign power of a state certain rights or liberties

3. a document issued by a society or an organization authorizing the establishment of a local branch or chapter

4. a special privilege or exemption

5. (often capital) the fundamental principles of an organization; constitution

   the Charter of the United Nations

6. 1. the hire or lease of transportation

   2. the agreement or contract regulating this

   3. ( as modifier )

      a charter flight

7. 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

8. maritime law another word for charterparty

verb

1. to lease or hire by charterparty

2. to hire (a vehicle, etc)

3. to grant a charter of incorporation or liberties to (a group or person)

Other Word Forms

• charterable adjective
• charterage noun
• charterer noun
• charterless adjective
• recharter verb (used with object)
• subcharter noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of charter¹

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English chartre from Old French from Latin chartul(a) “little paper,” equivalent to chart(a) ( charta ) + -ula -ule

Word History and Origins

Origin of charter¹

C13: from Old French chartre, from Latin chartula a little paper, from charta leaf of papyrus; see _chart

Synonym Study

See hire.

Example Sentences

Palisades High is an independently operated charter school and its administrators opted for temporary quarters at the former Sears building in Santa Monica.

From Los Angeles Times

The “government” in Gaza is a theocratic, Iranian-backed terror entity whose founding charter drips with unrepentant Jew-hatred and whose leaders routinely celebrate the wanton slaughter of innocent Israelis as triumphs of “resistance.”

From Los Angeles Times

Instead of sharing the snacks and satnav duties, she and her partner ended up hitching a lift on a private charter flight laid on for southern hemisphere players involved in the autumn internationals.

From BBC

They were arrested on 1 February this year after taking a chartered flight from Kabul to Bamiyan province, along with friend Faye Hall and their translator who were later released.

From BBC

Paxton later amended his lawsuit to try to revoke Powered by People’s charter entirely.

From Salon

Related Words

• code 
• constitution 
• contract 
• document 
• license 
• pact 
• permit 
• settlement 

When To Use

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.