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Like many terms used in the legal profession, stipulate has its roots in Latin. It derives from stipulatus, the past participle of stipulari, a verb meaning "to demand a guarantee (from a prospective debtor)." Stipulate has been a part of the English language since the 17th century. In Roman law, oral contracts were deemed valid only if they followed a proper question-and-answer format; stipulate was sometimes used specifically of this same process of contract making, though it also could be used more generally for any means of making a contract or agreement. The "to specify as a condition or requirement" meaning of stipulate also dates to the 17th century, and is the sense of the word most often encountered in current use.
Examples of stipulate in a Sentence
Aya Batrawy, NPR, 17 Mar. 2025
Arakawa stipulated that if her husband died before her, a personal representative should put the remainder of her estate — funds that were not used toward paying for various costs and debts — in a charitable trust.
—Kimi Robinson, USA TODAY, 15 Mar. 2025
But there are exceptions to the principle, such as anti-discrimination laws or a contract that stipulates the terms for which a worker’s employment may end.
—Matthew Kaufman, CNN, 15 Mar. 2025
The compromise stipulated that both parties will co-chair committees with an equal number of lawmakers on each committee.
—Ross O'Keefe, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stipulate
Cite this Entry
“Stipulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stipulate. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
stipulate
verb
Louisiana Civil CodeNational Law JournalLuna v. Meinke, 844 F. Supp. 1284 (1994)West v. Bank of Commerce & Trusts, 167 F.2d 664 (1948)National Law JournalVerb
Latin stipulatus, past participle of stipulari to exact (as from a prospective debtor) a formal guarantee when making an oral contract
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