bill of rights

noun phrase

variants or Bill of Rights

1

usually Bill of Rights : a summary of fundamental rights and privileges that a government guarantees to the people

—used especially of the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution

The Bill of Rights is the first 10 Amendments to the Constitution. It spells out Americans' rights in relation to their government. It guarantees civil rights and liberties to the individual—like freedom of speech, press, and religion. It sets rules for due process of law and reserves all powers not delegated to the Federal Government to the people or the States. And it specifies that "the enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people."

—National Archives and Records Administration

2

: a document containing a formal statement of rights

a patients' bill of rights

Examples of bill of rights in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The new Constitution’s supporters, known as Federalists, faced fierce opposition from Anti-Federalists who charged that a powerful national government, unrestrained by a bill of rights, would inevitably lead to tyranny. —Donald Nieman, The Conversation, 7 Oct. 2025

Last session, DeSantis and Ladapo pushed to amend the patients’ bill of rights, a section of state law meant to help with communication between health care providers and patients. —Romy Ellenbogen, Miami Herald, 24 Sep. 2025

Arizona Women of Action founder Kim Miller pointed to Arizona's law establishing the Parental bill of rights. —Taylor Seely, AZCentral.com, 8 Sep. 2025

Every state in the country has a crime victims' bill of rights that outlines how much involvement in criminal proceedings they are entitled to, but no state in the country offers victims or their families the ability to veto a plea agreement made between prosecutors and defendants, experts said. —Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 3 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1768, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for bill of rights

• acolytes
• ammonites
• amorites
• analytes
• andesites
• appetites
• argillites
• astrocytes
• belemnites
• bryophytes
• canaanites
• carmelites

Kids Definition

bill of rights

often capitalized B&R

: a statement of basic rights and privileges guaranteed to a people

especially : the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution

Legal Definition

bill of rights

-ˈrīts

often capitalized B&R

: a summary of fundamental rights and privileges guaranteed to a people against violation by the government

especially, capitalized B&R : the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution