plural treaties
1
a
: an agreement or arrangement made by negotiation:
(1)
: a contract in writing between two or more political authorities (such as states or sovereigns) formally signed by representatives duly authorized and usually ratified by the lawmaking authority of the state
(2)
b
: a document in which such a contract is set down
2
: the action of treating and especially of negotiating
Examples of treaty in a Sentence
a nuclear test ban treaty
in accordance with a treaty between the United States and the tribes of the Pacific Northwest, commercial fishing of certain kinds of salmon is limited to Native Americans
Recent Examples on the Web
Despite both sides agreeing on the wording of a potential bilateral peace treaty in March, the talks on Thursday brought about little clarity on when the treaty could be finalized.
—
Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2025
The Paris Agreement, a binding treaty signed by nearly every nation on Earth, exists in large part to keep us from passing this threshold.
—Daniel A. Gross, New Yorker, 9 July 2025
By the end of the session, the conversation gave way to action: the official signing of the Ivory Coast-French-speaking Belgium co-production treaty took place directly after the panel.
—Essie Assibu, Variety, 3 July 2025
International organizations like the United Nations and NATO were created in the aftermath of World War II, and international treaties on the treatment of refugees and against genocide were ratified.
—Tom Dreisbach, NPR, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for treaty
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Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2025
The Paris Agreement, a binding treaty signed by nearly every nation on Earth, exists in large part to keep us from passing this threshold.
—Daniel A. Gross, New Yorker, 9 July 2025
By the end of the session, the conversation gave way to action: the official signing of the Ivory Coast-French-speaking Belgium co-production treaty took place directly after the panel.
—Essie Assibu, Variety, 3 July 2025
International organizations like the United Nations and NATO were created in the aftermath of World War II, and international treaties on the treatment of refugees and against genocide were ratified.
—Tom Dreisbach, NPR, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for treaty
Cite this Entry
“Treaty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/treaty. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
treaty
noun
trea·ty
ˈtrēt-ē 
plural treaties
: an agreement or arrangement made by negotiation
especially
: one between two or more states or rulers
Legal Definition
treaty
noun
trea·ty
plural treaties
1
: the action of treating and especially of negotiating
2
: an agreement or arrangement made by negotiation: as
a
b
: a contract in writing between two or more political authorities (as states or sovereigns) formally signed by representatives duly authorized and usually ratified by the lawmaking authority of the state
the President…shall have power, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties—U.S. Constitution art. II
compare executive agreement
U.S. Constitution art. II3
: a document embodying a negotiated agreement or contract
4
: an agreement or contract (as between companies) providing for treaty reinsurance
Etymology
Anglo-French treté, from Middle French traité, from Medieval Latin tractatus, from Latin, handling, treatment, from tractare to treat, handle
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