statute

noun

stat·​ute ˈsta-(ˌ)chüt How to pronounce statute (audio)
-chət
Synonyms of statutenext
1
: a law enacted by the legislative branch of a government
2
: an act of a corporation or of its founder intended as a permanent rule
3
: an international instrument setting up an agency and regulating its scope or authority

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for statute

law, rule, regulation, precept, statute, ordinance, canon mean a principle governing action or procedure.

law implies imposition by a sovereign authority and the obligation of obedience on the part of all subject to that authority.

obey the law

rule applies to more restricted or specific situations.

the rules of the game

regulation implies prescription by authority in order to control an organization or system.

regulations affecting nuclear power plants

precept commonly suggests something advisory and not obligatory communicated typically through teaching.

the precepts of effective writing

statute implies a law enacted by a legislative body.

a statute requiring the use of seat belts

ordinance applies to an order governing some detail of procedure or conduct enforced by a limited authority such as a municipality.

a city ordinance

canon suggests in nonreligious use a principle or rule of behavior or procedure commonly accepted as a valid guide.

the canons of good taste

Examples of statute in a Sentence

The state legislature passed the statute by an overwhelming margin. business practices that are prohibited by statute
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
There's nothing special about laws created via ballot measure — they can be altered or repealed like any other statute. —Mike Deehan, Axios, 30 Oct. 2024 Follow the Law’s ads and website overstate officials’ roles beyond what statutes allow, state officials in Georgia, Arizona, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin said. —Phoebe Petrovic, ProPublica, 30 Oct. 2024 But the passage of the statute had no immediate impact for those who were looking to separate their joint consolidation loans. —Adam S. Minsky, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024 Fines and penalties vary by state if a voter violates laws or guidelines by taking a picture of their ballot, so check with your area officials or search for your state statutes for more information. —Sam Woodward, USA TODAY, 28 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for statute 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French estatut, from Late Latin statutum law, regulation, from Latin, neuter of statutus, past participle of statuere to set up, station, from status position, state

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of statute was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing statute

Dictionary Entries Near statute

statutably

statute

statute-barred

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Statute.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/statute. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

Copy Citation

Share

Kids Definition

statute

noun
stat·​ute ˈstach-üt How to pronounce statute (audio)
-ət
: a law put into effect by the legislative branch of a government

Legal Definition

statute

noun
stat·​ute ˈsta-chüt How to pronounce statute (audio)
1
: a law enacted by the legislative branch of a government see also code, statutory law
2
: an act of a corporation or its founder intended as a permanent rule
3
: an international instrument setting up an agency and regulating its scope or authority
the statute of the International Court of Justice
Etymology

Latin statutum law, regulation, from neuter of statutus, past participle of statuere to set up, station, from status position, state

More from Merriam-Webster on statute

Nglish: Translation of statute for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of statute for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about statute

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See All

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Plural and Possessive Names: A Guide

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See All

Popular in Wordplay

See All

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

9 Superb Owl Words

15 Words That Used to Mean Something Different
See All

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
little chihuahua dressing like a turkey for thanksgiving
Is That Gratitude or Attitude? A Thanksgiving Quiz Decide which words express gratitude and which gi...