treaty

treaty — noun

1. an official written document in which countries state what they have agreed to d

1.nounB2
Definition

an official written document in which countries state what they have agreed to do, with the signatures of their leaders making it a rule they must follow

Example

The peace treaty signed in 1998 ended the long border conflict.

passive participle: treaty signed + time marker

Under the trade treaty, farmers on both sides pay lower taxes.

prepositional phrase: under + treaty

Common collocations
  • sign a treaty
  • ratify a treaty
  • negotiate a treaty
  • break / violate a treaty
  • peace treaty
  • trade treaty
  • climate treaty
  • bilateral treaty
  • multilateral treaty
Synonyms
  • pact

    less formal; often used for specific limited agreements (e.g. a non-aggression pact)

  • accord

    slightly more formal; used for major diplomatic agreements (e.g. the Paris Accord)

  • convention

    often implies a multilateral agreement setting shared standards (e.g. the Geneva Convention)

  • agreement

    broadest term; can apply to any level from personal to international, while treaty is specifically between countries

Grammar Patterns

treaty + between + countries

treaty + on/over + topic (trade, climate, peace, etc.)

Usage Note

Frequently passive (the treaty was signed / ratified / approved). The subject of the verb 'treaty' is usually a formal body (government, parliament, senate) that approves or rejects it. Distinguish from 'agreement': treaties are always between sovereign states and typically require formal ratification by each country's legislature.

Common Mistakes

The two companies signed a treaty.
The two companies signed a contract.
'treaty' is reserved for agreements between countries, not between businesses or individuals.
The peace treaty was agreed verbally.
The peace treaty was signed in a formal ceremony.
treaties are always written documents, not verbal promises.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words refer to a type of understanding between parties, but 'treaty' is unique in being a formally written and ratified document between sovereign states. 'Pact' is less formal and often narrower in scope (e.g. a defence pact between two allies). 'Accord' is formal and tends to describe significant diplomatic breakthroughs (the Oslo Accords). 'Convention' suggests a multilateral agreement that establishes shared standards or rules (the Geneva Convention on human rights). 'Agreement' is the broadest term — it works for anything from a handshake deal to a UN resolution, while 'treaty' always implies a binding written document that has gone through official ratification. For example, you would say 'the neighbours reached an agreement about the fence' but not 'the neighbours reached a treaty about the fence.'

pactaccord ↗convention ↗agreement ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • draft a treaty
  • withdraw from a treaty
  • be a party to a treaty
  • enter into a treaty

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

From Latin 'tractatus' (discussion, handling) through Old French 'traité' (agreement, contract), entering Middle English in the 14th century with the sense of 'negotiation' or 'discussion.' By the 15th century the word had taken on its modern meaning of a formal written agreement between nations.