Did you know?
Like many terms used in the legal profession, stipulate, an English word since the 17th century, has its roots in Latin. It comes from stipulatus, the past participle of stipulari, a verb meaning “to demand a guarantee (from a prospective debtor).” 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 today.
Examples of stipulate in a Sentence
Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 22 Oct. 2025
The ceasefire agreement also stipulated Israeli releases of Palestinian prisoners and detainees in exchange for hostages and the restoration of humanitarian aid.
—James Bickerton, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
Since the mid–20th century, one of the core tenets of bodybuilding has stipulated that gaining muscle requires putting on weight, regardless of how.
—Yasmin Tayag, The Atlantic, 17 Oct. 2025
European football’s governing body stipulates that home teams must make at least five per cent of their stadium’s capacity available for away supporters.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 17 Oct. 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 29 Oct. 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
Share