fundamental law

noun

: the organic or basic law of a political unit as distinguished from legislative acts
specifically : constitution

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web The fundamental law of nature. Fortune Editors, Fortune, 28 Sep. 2022 But actually to do so, to situate an entire novel on the story of an inanimate, shapeless force, violates a fundamental law of novel writing—that one’s protagonist should have an inner life, or if not that, free will, or if not that, at the very least a consciousness. Nathaniel Rich, The New York Review of Books, 28 July 2021 This odd connection between the two particles is instantaneous, seemingly breaking a fundamental law of the universe. Andreas Muller-university Of South Florida, Discover Magazine, 19 Oct. 2022 But now humans seem to have broken this fundamental law of the ocean. Matt Reynolds, Wired, 23 Nov. 2021 Was some universal principle playing out in the polariton condensate, some fundamental law about systems where energy isn’t conserved? Quanta Magazine, 11 Nov. 2021 In Homer, hospitality is a sacred responsibility, a fundamental law of Zeus, the protector of strangers. Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2021 Wu's contributions to nuclear physics include her noteworthy Wu Experiment, which helped disprove a fundamental law of parity. NBC News, 7 Dec. 2020 But to fuel his spending ambitions, Governor Murphy ignores the most fundamental law of our state: the New Jersey Constitution. Kim Jarrett, Washington Examiner, 3 June 2020 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fundamental law.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1651, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fundamental law was in 1651

Dictionary Entries Near fundamental law

Cite this Entry

“Fundamental law.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fundamental%20law. Accessed 6 Jun. 2023.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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