Magna Carta
noun
Mag·na Car·ta
ˈmag-nə-ˈkär-tə 
variants
or less commonly Magna Charta
1
: a charter of liberties to which the English barons forced King John to give his assent in June 1215 at Runnymede
2
: a document constituting a fundamental guarantee of rights and privileges
Examples of Magna Carta in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
That’s when England’s Magna Carta established the principle that government is not above the law.
—
Jennifer Selin, The Conversation, 31 Mar. 2025
Click here to see more photos of Magna Carta House.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 27 Sep. 2024
Fort Knox has also been utilized to temporarily store valuable historical items, such as the Declaration of Independence and Constitution during World War II, as well as the Magna Carta.
—Emily Chang, ABC News, 5 Mar. 2025
The coins were issued between 1036 and 1044, the organization said — predating the Magna Carta by nearly 200 years, and the Battle of Hastings by a few decades.
—Andrea Margolis, Fox News, 14 Jan. 2025
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Jennifer Selin, The Conversation, 31 Mar. 2025
Click here to see more photos of Magna Carta House.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 27 Sep. 2024
Fort Knox has also been utilized to temporarily store valuable historical items, such as the Declaration of Independence and Constitution during World War II, as well as the Magna Carta.
—Emily Chang, ABC News, 5 Mar. 2025
The coins were issued between 1036 and 1044, the organization said — predating the Magna Carta by nearly 200 years, and the Battle of Hastings by a few decades.
—Andrea Margolis, Fox News, 14 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for Magna Carta
Cite this Entry
“Magna Carta.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Magna%20Carta. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
Magna Carta
noun
Mag·na Car·ta
variants
or Magna Charta
: a charter of liberties signed under duress by King John of England in 1215 that influenced the development of many important modern legal and constitutional principles (as due process)
Etymology
Medieval Latin, literally, great charter
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