charter

 
Pronunciation: /ˈtʃɑːtə/

noun

  • 1a written grant by the sovereign or legislative power of a country, by which a body such as a borough, company, or university is created or its rights and privileges defined: the town received a charter from the Emperor
  • a written constitution or description of an organization’s functions: the impending review of the BBC’s Charter
  • [with modifier] (in the UK) a written statement of the rights of a specified group of people: the standard set by the patient’s charter
  • (a charter for) British a policy or law regarded as enabling people to engage more easily in a specified undesirable activity: he described the act as a charter for vandals
  • 2 [mass noun] the hiring of an aircraft, ship, or motor vehicle for a special purpose: a plane on charter to a multinational company
  • [count noun] a ship or vehicle that is hired: the fifty foot charter Capricorn will join the team
  • [count noun] a trip made by a ship or vehicle under hire: he liked to see the boat sparkling clean before each charter

verb

[with object]
  • 1 (usually as adjective chartered) grant a charter to (a city, university, or other body): chartered corporations
  • 2hire (an aircraft, ship, or motor vehicle): he immediately chartered a plane to take him to Paris

Origin:

Middle English: from Old French chartre, from Latin chartula, diminutive of charta 'paper' (see card1)