statute

American  

[stach-oot, -oot] / ˈstætʃ ut, -ʊt /

noun

1. Law.

   1. an enactment made by a legislature and expressed in a formal document.

   2. the document in which such an enactment is expressed.

2. International Law. an instrument annexed or subsidiary to an international agreement, as a treaty.

3. a permanent rule established by an organization, corporation, etc., to govern its internal affairs.

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statute British  

/ ˈstætjuːt /

noun

1. 1. an enactment of a legislative body expressed in a formal document

   2. this document

2. a permanent rule made by a body or institution for the government of its internal affairs

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Etymology

Origin of statute

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English statut, from Old French estatut, from Late Latin statūtum, noun use of neuter of Latin statūtus “made to stand,” past participle of statuere “to make stand, set up,” verb derivative of status status

Example Sentences

Federal prosecutors soon indicted the women on charges of conspiracy and disclosing the personal information of a federal agent, which is effectively a federal anti-doxing statute.

From Los Angeles Times

The three-judge panel said it understood Murrin’s “frustration” over facing a hefty bill “due to the wrongdoing of someone other than her. But we are bound by statute.”

From MarketWatch

The relevant statute allows only tariffs that “deal with large and serious United States balance-of-payments deficits,” “prevent an imminent and significant deprecation of the dollar,” or facilitate an international agreement to correct a “balance-of-payments disequilibrium.”

From The Wall Street Journal

It interpreted a statute and set constitutional limits on tariffs.

From MarketWatch

The deadline to contest a will can be a matter of months in many jurisdictions, but the statute for promissory estoppel varies from two years to six years, depending on where you live.

From MarketWatch

Related Words

• act
• bill
• decree
• edict
• measure
• regulation