jus soli

American

[juhs soh-lahy, -lee] / ˈdʒʌs ˈsoʊ laɪ, -li /

noun

Law.

the principle that the country of citizenship of a child is determined by their country of birth.

jus soli British

/ ˈsəʊlaɪ /

noun

law the principle that a person's nationality at birth is determined by the territory within which he was born Compare jus sanguinis

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of jus soli

First recorded in 1900–05; from Latin: “right of soil (land)”

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.

While the United States is among a smaller group of countries that recognize jus soli, it is not alone in doing so.

From Salon • May 24, 2026

More than 30 countries - including Canada, Mexico, Malaysia and Lesotho - practise automatic "jus soli", or "right of the soil" without restriction.

From BBC • Jan. 20, 2025

Foreigners whose nationalities do not meet the jus soli or jus sanguinis principles can become Filipino citizens through the process of naturalization; however, they will have to renounce their previous citizenship.

From Encyclopedia.com • Dec. 3, 2018

In truth, more than 30 other countries in the Western Hemisphere alone have some form of jus soli, where birth automatically confers citizenship.

From Slate • Oct. 31, 2018

Two basic rules determine citizenship at birth: jus soli and jus sanguinis.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2016

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023