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Magna Carta

American  
[mag-nuh kahr-tuh] / ˈmæg nə ˈkɑr tə /
Or Magna Charta

noun

  1. the “great charter” of English liberties, forced from King John by the English barons and sealed at Runnymede, June 15, 1215.

  2. any fundamental constitution or law guaranteeing rights and liberties.

Magna Carta British  
/ ˈmæɡnə ˈkɑːtə /

noun

  1. English history the charter granted by King John at Runnymede in 1215, recognizing the rights and privileges of the barons, church, and freemen

"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
Magna Carta Cultural  

  1. A list of rights and privileges that King John of England signed under pressure from English noblemen in 1215. It established the principles that the king could not levy taxes without consent of his legislature, or parliament, and that no free man in England could be deprived of liberty or property except through a trial or other legal process.

Usage

What is the Magna Carta? The Magna Carta is an English “great charter” that was signed into law by King John on June 15, 1215. Some of the best-known concepts outlined in the Magna Carta include making the monarch subject to the rule of law, basic rights held by citizens (or “free men”), and the social contract between ruler and subjects.

Etymology

Origin of Magna Carta

1425–75; late Middle English < Medieval Latin

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.

Its aristocrats had the Magna Carta drafted to protect their rights after they rebelled against King John in 1215.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 19, 2026

This latter concept dates back to the Magna Carta, signed by King John in 1215 at Runnymede in England.

From Slate • Aug. 25, 2025

This tradition is actually older than the United States itself; it can be traced back to medieval England and the Magna Carta and the Petition of Rights.

From Salon • Jul. 11, 2025

The professors are hopeful Harvard's Magna Carta will soon be displayed to the public so its message and significance can be more widely known.

From BBC • May 15, 2025

The Magna Carta, the Petition of Rights and the Bill of Rights, are documents which are held in veneration by democrats throughout the world.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.