Webster's English Dictionary

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treaty

trea.ty \'tre-t-e-\ n [ME tretee, fr. MF traite`, fr. ML tractatus, fr. L 
   handling], treatment, fr. tractatus, pp. of tractare to treat 1: the action 
   of treating and esp. of negotiating  2a: an agreement or arrangement made 
   by negotiation :  2a1: PRIVATE TREATY  2a2: a contract in writing between 
   two or more political authorities (as st ates or sovereigns) formally 
   signed by representatives duly authorized and usu. ratified by the 
   lawmaking authority of the state 2b: a document in which such a contract is 
   set down