charter

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈt͡ʃɑːtə/ (UK); /ˈt͡ʃɑɹtɚ/ (US)^[1]

Etymology

It is Middle English chartre, borrowed from Old French chartre (“charter, document, covenant”),^[2][3][4][5] from Latin chartula (“little paper”), a diminutive of charta (“paper, document”) (see chart and card).^[2][3][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

A written document granting rights or privileges: probably before 1200, in the Ancrene Riwle;^[2] the OED has a charter granting privileges from before 1250.^[7]

Semantic evolution

A charter creating or incorporating a borough, university or company is from 1474.^[7] A deed conveying land is from about 1386.^[7] The People's Charter of the Chartists was published in 1838.^[7] The verb, to grant a charter, is Scots from about 1425,^[2] and to hire a ship or vehicle by contract from 1806.^[2][3] An aircraft or trip hired for a special purpose is a charter from 1922.^[3] In Nottinghamshire dialect a charter was an ancient custom or privilege.^[8]

Timeline

• before 1200 – a grant of rights.^[2]
• c. 1425 – the verb.^[2]
• 1474 – a charter of incorporation.^[7]
• 1806 – to hire.^[2][3]
• 1838 – the People's Charter.^[7]
• 1922 – a chartered aircraft.^[3]

Modern meaning

Noun

1. A formal document from a ruler or government granting rights or creating an institution such as a city, university or company.
2. A written statement of the principles or aims of an organization.
3. The hire of a ship, aircraft or vehicle for a special purpose.

Verb

1. To hire a ship, aircraft or vehicle.
2. To grant a charter to.

Word family

• charterer
• charterable
• charterage
• charterless
• charterhouse
• Chartism
• Chartist
• subcharter

Related words

• chart
• card
• cartel
• chartered

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
3. ^ a b c d e f Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
6. ^ Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ a b c d e f Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
8. ^ Wright, Joseph, ed. (1898–1905), The English Dialect Dictionary, 6 vols., Oxford: Henry Frowde; via EDD Online 4.0, University of Innsbruck (CC BY 4.0)