international law

American  

noun

1. the body of rules that nations generally recognize as binding in their conduct toward one another.

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international law British  

noun

1. the body of rules generally recognized by civilized nations as governing their conduct towards each other and towards each other's subjects

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international law Cultural  

1. A body of rules and principles that govern the relations among nations. (See Geneva Conventions and International Court of Justice.)

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Etymology

Origin of international law

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

international law

"We want a region which is peaceful, stable and prosperous. We want a region where countries, all powers, including great powers, observe international law and, in particular, the law of the sea," she said.

From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026

Saudi Arabia has condemned the allegation and has vowed to "take all necessary measures to protect its ships in accordance with international law".

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026

Some of those strikes could violate international law, which forbids attacking civilian infrastructure.

From Slate ● Jul. 20, 2026

Washington has vehemently opposed Tehran's desire to charge tolls in the strait, which international law generally forbids.

From Barron's ● Jul. 14, 2026

“Oh, you were a clone. There’s no mistake about that. But we’re talking about international law now.”

From "The House of the Scorpion" by Nancy Farmer