A formal agreement or treaty between parties, especially countries or organizations. A binding covenant or contract that establishes mutual obligations.
From Latin 'pactum', past participle of 'pacisci' meaning 'to agree' or 'to covenant'. Related to 'pax' meaning 'peace'. The word emphasizes the binding nature of agreements and often implies solemnity or gravity.
The Latin root connecting 'pact' to 'peace' reveals that ancient agreements were primarily about ending conflicts rather than starting ventures. Some of history's most famous pacts, like the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, ironically preceded rather than prevented wars.
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