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History vocabulary · Wars, Treaties and Diplomacy

Treaty

Meaning in history, with examples

/ˈtriːti/nounCore term

In history, treaty means: A formal written agreement between two or more states, for example to end a war, settle borders or create an alliance.

In Turkish: antlaşma, muahede

How it is used

Treaties are negotiated, signed, ratified, and later honoured, violated or broken. They are usually named after the place of signing: the Treaty of Versailles (1919), the Treaty of Karlowitz (1699). Their contents are called terms or clauses.

Example sentences

  1. The Treaty of Karlowitz was signed in 1699 after a long war with the Holy League.

  2. Students compared the territorial terms of the two peace treaties.

Common collocations

  • sign a treaty
  • peace treaty
  • ratify a treaty
  • the terms of the treaty
  • violate a treaty
  • armisticeA formal agreement between warring sides to stop fighting, usually while the terms of a final peace treaty are negotiated.
  • allianceA formal agreement between states or groups to support each other, especially in war, or the group of states that make such an agreement.
  • annexTo take control of a territory and make it officially part of one's own state, often by force or without the agreement of the people living there.
  • sovereigntySupreme authority over a territory and its people, including the right to make laws and to govern without control from any outside power.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Wars, Treaties and Diplomacy

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