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

Iranian state TV reported that Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran "will continue to talk only within the framework of international law" in a phone call with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

“Nothing about establishing a moon base, a permanent presence on the moon, is unlawful in international law, and it could just be that dominance is rhetoric.”

From Salon • Apr. 9, 2026

"There are certainly questions of international law, but much more than that, it is a moral question," he said.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

While Iranian officials compare the proposed toll system to the practice of the Suez Canal, which generates billions of dollars each year for Egypt, these two waterways are fundamentally different under international law.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

Supreme Court ruled the death penalty for nonhomicides unconstitutional and international law strongly disfavors the practice.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander