stipulate

Like many terms used in the legal profession, "stipulate" has its roots in Latin. It derives from "stipulatus," the past participle of "stipulari," a verb meaning "to demand a guarantee (as from a prospective debtor)." "Stipulate" has been a part of the English language since the 17th century. In Roman law, oral contracts were deemed valid only if they followed a proper question-and-answer format; "stipulate" was sometimes used specifically of this process of contract making, though it also could be used more generally for any means of making a contract or agreement. The "specify as a condition or requirement" sense of the word also dates from the 17th century, and it is the sense that is most often encountered in current use.

Examples of stipulate in a Sentence

Verb The cease-fire was stipulated by the treaty. The rules stipulate that players must wear uniforms.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb But in at least two school systems, rules stipulate that students must use the bathrooms matching their biological gender. — Washington Post, "Virginia legislators want schools to ease the suffering of transgender students," 11 Jan. 2020 The rules stipulate that any services provided have to be paid for with a flat fee. — Jackie Borchardt, Cincinnati.com, "Ohio seeks tighter control over medical marijuana dispensary owners," 12 Dec. 2019 The procedures for Senate impeachment trials stipulate that the chief justice of the Supreme Court, who presides over the trial, can rule on motions for evidence and witnesses. — Grace Segers, Kathryn Watson, CBS News, "House Democrats introduce Trump impeachment articles on abuse of power, obstruction," 10 Dec. 2019 The new guidelines also stipulate that microtransactions must remain below $57 per month. — Wired, "Epic Games Just Banned a Fortnite Streamer for Life," 8 Nov. 2019 The new rules stipulate that couples must have lived together for 12 months in order to be granted a partnership visa. — Jack Guy, CNN, "New Zealand's Indian community angered by 'punishment' visa changes," 4 Nov. 2019 These stipulate that all manufacturing data must be preserved — unaltered — and made available to regulators. — Katherine Eban, STAT, "In generic drug plants in China and India, data falsification is still a problem," 29 Oct. 2019 The regulations stipulate that the areas for consumption must be separate from where cannabis is sold, and the whole area must be obscured from the public by an opaque fence or tent that is at least 8 feet tall, said Rodriguez. — Melia Russell, SFChronicle.com, "Pot at Outside Lands: SF festival seeks permit to light up," 24 July 2019 The agreements stipulate some rules for the searches, including that each must be relevant to a criminal investigation. — Drew Harwell, Twin Cities, "FBI, ICE use driver license photos without owners’ knowledge or consent," 9 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'stipulate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

10 Feb 2020

Cite this Entry

“Stipulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stipulated. Accessed 17 Feb. 2020.

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More Definitions for stipulate

stipulate

verb

English Language Learners Definition of stipulate

: to demand or require (something) as part of an agreement

See the full definition for stipulate in the English Language Learners Dictionary

stipulate

verb

stip·u·late | \ ˈsti-pyə-ˌlāt

stipulated; stipulating

Legal Definition of stipulate

intransitive verb

1 : to make an agreement or covenant about something (as damages)

2 : to demand a particular promise in an agreement —used with for may…assume or stipulate for obligations of all kinds — Louisiana Civil Code

3 : to agree respecting an aspect of legal proceedings —used with to stipulated to a dismissal of the claim with prejudice — National Law Journal pleaded guilty to the charge of battery and stipulated to the underlying facts — Luna v. Meinke, 844 F. Supp. 1284 (1994)

transitive verb

1 : to specify especially as a condition or requirement of an agreement parties may not stipulate the invalidity of statutes or ordinances — West v. Bank of Commerce & Trusts, 167 F.2d 664 (1948) the contract stipulated that the lessor was responsible for maintenance within a stipulated period of time

2 : to establish (procedure or evidence) by agreement during a proceeding defendant stipulated that evidence was sufficient to support his conspiracy conviction — National Law Journal based on stipulated facts

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