ratify
verb/ˈɹætɪfaɪ/ · /ˈɹætəfaɪ/
Etymology From Middle English ratifien, from Old French ratifier, from Medieval Latin ratifico, from Latin ratus (“reckoned”).
1
To give formal consent to; make officially valid, sign off on.
- They ratified the treaty.
- Thus the workmen decide the principle, the Executive carry it out. The agent provides information and negotiates. The Conference finally ratifies or disapproves.1912, Noah Ablett, The Miners' Next Step:
1 more example
- If the Senate ratifies the covenant on human rights and the Supreme Court upholds it under the established principles outlined above, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of peaceful assembly may be destroyed by our own Government at any time by an official proclamation of a state of emergency.1950, William H. Fitzpatrick, Government by Treaty:
- Synonyms
- homologate
- Derived terms
- nonratifying, ratifiable, ratifier, reratify
- Related terms
- ratification