charter
CHAHR-ter
/ˈtʃɑːrtər/
The reservation of an aircraft, boat, or other vehicle for private use.
Implies hiring the entire vehicle and its crew for a specific, customized trip, rather than buying a single ticket on a scheduled route.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'charta', meaning paper or papyrus. A charter was originally a written document granting rights or privileges. Over time, it came to mean a written contract for hiring a ship, and eventually any vehicle.
Word relationships
- hire: Hire is a general term for renting anything, while charter specifically refers to renting transport vehicles with their crew.
- lease: Lease implies a long-term contractual agreement, whereas charter is typically for a single, specific trip.
Commonly confused with
- shatter: Shatter means to break into many pieces, while charter is to hire a vehicle.
Word family
- chartered (adjective): Hired for private use under a charter contract.
Collocations
- charter flight
- charter bus
- charter boat
- charter school
Example sentences
- "The executive team decided to charter a private jet for their multi-city business trip." Corporate travel
- "The school had to charter three buses to transport all the students to the museum." School field trip
Memory hook
To charter a plane, you need a written contract (chart/paper) to make it official. Charter is hiring with a paper contract.
When not to use
Do not use when booking a standard seat on a commercial public flight or train.
Fun facts
- The Magna Carta, signed in 1215, is perhaps the most famous 'charter' in history, though it had nothing to do with transportation!
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