magna carta

PRONUNCIATION: (MAG-nuh KAHR-tuh)

MEANING: noun: A document or a law recognizing basic rights and privileges.

ETYMOLOGY: From Latin magna carta (great charter). After Magna Carta, a charter of political and civil liberties that King John of England was forced to sign on June 15, 1215. It was revised several times over the years, and it became an important symbol, establishing for future generations that there were limits to the royal powers.

USAGE: "A magna carta for industry development recognizing that 'small and medium enterprises are the dominant constituent of the industry' is an absolute necessity."
Integrated Approach Needed For Construction Industry; The Island (Colombo, Sri Lanka); Jun 18, 2008.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: Invention requires an excited mind; execution, a calm one. -Johann Peter Eckermann, poet (1792-1854)