ratification
UK: ˌrætɪfɪˈkeɪʃən | US: ˌrætəfəˈkeɪʃən
n. the formal approval or confirmation of a decision, agreement, or law, making it officially valid.
ratification = ratify<to confirm> + ation<noun suffix>
- ratify (from Latin ratus "fixed, settled" + -ficare "to make")
- ratus: past participle of rērī "to reckon, think"
- -ficare: combining form of facere "to make"
- ation: suffix forming nouns indicating an action or process (from Latin -atio)
Etymology Origin:
The word traces back to Latin ratus ("fixed") and facere ("to make"), combining to mean "to make legally valid." Over time, ratificare in Medieval Latin evolved into Old French ratifier, then Middle English ratifien. The suffix -ation was added to form the noun, reflecting the act of formal confirmation. The logic mirrors turning an agreement into a binding, settled matter.
The treaty requires ratification by all member states.
The president announced the ratification of the new amendment.
Without parliamentary ratification, the law cannot take effect.
The union celebrated the ratification of their labor contract.
Delays in ratification stalled the international agreement.