gentlemen's agreement

American  

Or gentleman's agreement

noun

1. an agreement that, although unenforceable at law, is binding as a matter of personal honor.

2. an unwritten agreement by a socially prominent clique, private club, etc., to discriminate against or refuse to accept members of certain religious, racial, national, or other groups.

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gentlemen's agreement British  

noun

1. a personal understanding or arrangement based on honour and not legally binding

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Etymology

Origin of gentlemen's agreement

An Americanism dating back to 1885–90

Example Sentences

This agreement, according to the club, was reached verbally over a meeting with several club representatives, in the form of a "gentlemen's agreement" which subsequently allowed for Mbappe's return to the first team after being left out of the squad for the pre-season tour of Japan and the season opener.

From BBC

Leverkusen had a gentlemen's agreement with Alonso by which he could leave if one of this former clubs came calling, a door open to Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Real.

From BBC

A situation facilitated by the innate reasonableness of Bayer Leverkusen who, true to their word, stood by the gentlemen's agreement between coach and club that they would not stand in Alonso's way should he receive an offer he could not refuse.

From BBC

In 2022, Switzerland's federal criminal court in Bellinzona cleared the two after accepting their account of a "gentlemen's agreement" for the payment.

From BBC

It covers the period from just before the majors instituted a gentlemen’s agreement banning African Americans from playing with white players, to the Negro leagues becoming one of America’s biggest Black-owned businesses, to its demise.

From New York Times