# contract

> agreement having a lawful object entered into voluntarily by multiple parties (may be explicitly written or oral)

**Wikidata**: [Q93288](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q93288)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contract)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/contract

## Summary
A contract is a legally binding agreement with a lawful purpose, entered into voluntarily by two or more parties. It may be either written or oral and establishes enforceable obligations between the parties involved. Contracts are foundational to legal systems and govern a wide range of personal, commercial, and governmental interactions.

## Key Facts
- A contract is defined as an agreement having a lawful object entered into voluntarily by multiple parties.
- It may be explicitly written or oral.
- Contracts are a subclass of intellectual work, legal transaction, and promise.
- They are part of the broader legal field of contract law.
- The concept of a contract is associated with numerous identifiers across knowledge bases:
  - Wikidata Q1047113
  - Library of Congress Control Number: sh85031620
  - UMLS CUI: C0332522
  - MeSH Tree Code: I01.880.604.583.090, N03.706.535.241
  - BNF: 11950098f
  - Freebase ID: /m/0245b
  - BabelNet ID: 00022227n
  - NDL Authority ID: 00565407
  - Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana ID: contracte-1
  - Art & Architecture Thesaurus ID: 300027649
  - Encyclopedie Berbère Keyword ID: 2902
  - TDV Encyclopedia of Islam ID: akid
  - Encyclopedia of the Qur'ān reference: https://referenceworks.brillonline.com/entries/encyclopaedia-of-the-quran/contracts-and-alliances-EQSIM_00092
  - Zhihu Topic ID: 19586901
  - Quora Topic: Contracts
  - Sitelink count across 107 language versions of Wikipedia
- The term "contract" has numerous aliases including:
  - agreement, binding contract, contracts, contract as promise, contractual term, contractuelle, contrats, contractuel, contractualisation, 合約, 契約行為, 契約, 合同, 合约, 合同书, 合同書, контракт, acordo, قواعد مكملة, قواعد مكمله, 청약과 승낙
- It is an instance of a legal term or legal concept.
- It is part of Q49848 (legal document).
- It has the effect of creating an obligation.
- It has a participant role filled by Q3778211 (party to an agreement).
- It has parts including contracting party.
- It is different from a memorandum of understanding and a written contract.
- It is a facet of contract law.
- It has a main category: Category:Contracts.
- It is described at:
  - https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/contract
  - https://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/contract
- It is associated with the following encyclopedic and reference works:
  - Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary
  - Small Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary
  - Jewish Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron
  - Meyers Konversations-Lexikon (4th edition, 1885–1890)
  - Encyclopædia Britannica 11th edition
  - Armenian Soviet Encyclopedia, vol. 9
  - Lean Logic
  - Encyclopaedia of the Qur'ān
  - 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Contract
  - The New International Encyclopædia/Agreement
- It is also referenced in:
  - National Library of Israel J9U ID: 987007557827405171
  - Encyclopedia of Modern Ukraine ID: 20491
  - Encyclopedia of Korean Culture ID: E0003196
  - Great Russian Encyclopedia Portal IDs: dogovor-cfb9d7d, kontrakt-cf8f09
  - Australian Educational Vocabulary ID: scot/4085
  - Australian Thesaurus of Education Descriptors ID: 516
  - Nomenclature for Museum Cataloging: 13514
  - Museum Digital Tag ID: 12465
  - Factgrid Item ID: You Only Live Twice
  - RKD Thesaurus ID: 74000
  - Topic's Main Category: Category:Contracts
  - On Focus List of Wikimedia Project: Q6173448 (as of 2022-10-31)
  - Has Template: Template:Infobox treaty
  - Klexikon Article ID: Vertrag
  - IMDB Keyword: contract
  - Store ID Google Play: avtale
  - Catholic Encyclopedia ID: 043327a
  - JSTOR Topic ID (archived): contracts
  - Arab Encyclopedia Concept ID: 935
  - Encyclopedia of China (Third Edition) ID: 408854
  - National Library of Latvia ID: 000263726, 000050294
  - Lex ID: kontrakt
  - NL CR AUT ID: ph1223431, ph1223432
  - UMLS CUI: C0332522
  - Yale LUX ID: concept/d798add8-c794-44d5-95c2-310c41059239
  - Wikipedia languages: 100+ entries including af, am, ar, ast, az, azb, be, bg, bn, bs, ca, ce, ckb, cs, cv, da, de, el, en, eo, es, et, eu, fa, fi, fr, fy, ga, gl, he, hi, hr, hu, hy, id, io, is, it, ja, ka, kaa, kcg, kk, kn, ko, ky, la, lb, ln, lt, lv, mdf, min, mn, ms, myv, ne, nl, nn, no, nv, pl, pt, qu, ro, ru, sh, si, simple, sk, sl, sq, sr, sv, sw, ta, tg, th, tl, tr, tt, uk, uz, vi, war, wuu, zh, zh_yue
  - BabelNet ID: 00022227n
  - Freebase ID: /m/0245b
  - P2347: 3356
  - P2670: contractual term, Q1527956
  - P3219: contrat
  - P3235: contracts
  - P3365: contratto
  - P3569: wet-en-recht/contract
  - P3911: 15982-3
  - P4212: pcrtLpI1iAiQis
  - P4527: 90711
  - P4953: gf2011026168
  - P5160: tgm002506
  - P5198: 294906053
  - P5437: 164
  - P6366: 2777520067
  - P6900: 契約
  - P7870: 21102
  - P8408: Contract
  - P9495: term/4E363534-688B-4C69-A14B-65DAB064D941
  - P9862: SIM_0371
  - P11093: sozlesme_hukuk
  - P11567: contract
  - P13279: 1248
  - Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Contract_for_the_participation_in_a_television_programme,_1975.jpg

## FAQs
### What is a contract?
A contract is a legally enforceable agreement between two or more parties that is entered into voluntarily and has a lawful object. It can be written or oral and creates binding obligations for the parties involved.

### What are the different types of contracts?
Contracts can be written or oral, and they may include various forms such as employment contracts, service agreements, and sales agreements. They are also categorized under legal terms and concepts, including "contractual term" and "contractualisation."

### How is a contract related to legal systems?
Contracts are a core component of legal systems, particularly under the domain of contract law. They formalize agreements and establish enforceable obligations, making them essential for legal and commercial transactions.

### What are some related terms to "contract"?
Related terms include "agreement," "contractual term," "contractuelle," "contrats," "contractuel," "contractualisation," and various language-specific terms like "契約行為," "contratto," and "contrat."

### What distinguishes a contract from a memorandum of understanding?
A contract is legally binding, while a memorandum of understanding (MOU) is generally not enforceable in court. An MOU outlines a mutual understanding but does not create the same legal obligations as a contract.

### What is the role of a contract in legal frameworks?
Contracts are foundational to legal systems, particularly in civil and commercial law. They define the rights and obligations of parties and are essential for structuring agreements in both personal and professional contexts.

### What are some examples of works that discuss contracts?
Contracts are discussed in various encyclopedias and reference works, including the Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary, the Jewish Encyclopedia, the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica, and the Meyers Konversations-Lexikon.

### Are there specific laws governing contracts?
Yes, contracts are governed by contract law, which varies by jurisdiction but generally ensures that agreements are enforceable and protect the rights of all parties involved.

### What is the significance of a contract in legal terms?
Contracts are essential for establishing legal relationships and obligations. They provide a framework for agreements and are crucial in both personal and commercial legal matters.

## Why It Matters
Contracts are fundamental to legal systems, enabling structured and enforceable agreements between parties. They provide a legal framework for defining rights and responsibilities, making them essential in personal, commercial, and governmental contexts. Without contracts, many transactions would lack legal protection and predictability. They also play a key role in international law, business, and personal relationships, ensuring that agreements are enforceable and that parties can seek legal remedies in case of breach.

## Notable For
- Being a core legal concept that underpins enforceable agreements.
- Having a presence in over 100 language versions of Wikipedia.
- Being a subject of extensive documentation in legal and encyclopedic sources.
- Serving as a foundational element in both domestic and international law.
- Being a subclass of legal transaction, promise, and intellectual work.
- Having a rich set of aliases and translations across cultures and languages.
- Being a key component in the categorization of legal documents and concepts.

## Body

### Definition and Nature
A contract is an agreement with a lawful object, entered into voluntarily by two or more parties. It may be explicitly written or oral. It is a subclass of:
- Intellectual work
- Legal transaction
- Promise

It is part of the broader legal framework known as contract law.

### Legal Framework and Classification
Contracts are a legal term or concept (instance_of: Q1047113). They are part of the legal document category (part_of: Q49848) and are a facet of contract law. The concept of a contract is associated with:
- Wikidata Q1047113
- UMLS CUI: C0332522
- Freebase ID: /m/0245b
- BabelNet ID: 00022227n
- MeSH Tree Code: I01.880.604.583.090, N03.706.535.241

### Identifiers and Classifications
Contracts are identified in numerous knowledge systems:
- Library of Congress Control Number: sh85031620
- BNF: 11955098f
- NDL Authority ID: 00565407
- Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana ID: contracte-1
- Art & Architecture Thesaurus ID: 300027649
- Encyclopedie Berbère Keyword ID: 2902
- TDV Encyclopedia of Islam ID: akid
- Zhihu Topic ID: 19586901
- Quora Topic: Contracts
- Sitelink count across 107 language versions of Wikipedia

### Aliases and Terminology
The term "contract" has numerous aliases including:
- agreement
- binding contract
- contracts
- contract as promise
- contractual term
- contractuelle
- contrats
- contractuel
- contractualisation
- 合約
- 契約行為
- 契約
- 合同
- 合约
- 合同书
- 合同書
- контракт
- acordo
- قواعد مكملة
- قواعد مكمله
- 청약과 승낙

### Related Legal Concepts
Contracts are part of the legal domain and are connected to:
- Contract law
- Legal term or legal concept
- Legal document
- Contracting party
- Obligation

### Encyclopedic and Reference Works
Contracts are discussed in:
- Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary
- Small Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary
- Jewish Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron
- Meyers Konversations-Lexikon (4th edition, 1885–1890)
- Encyclopædia Britannica 11th edition
- Armenian Soviet Encyclopedia, vol. 9
- Lean Logic
- Encyclopaedia of the Qur'ān
- The New International Encyclopædia/Agreement
- 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Contract

### Cultural and Linguistic Contexts
The term "contract" is widely recognized across languages:
- Arabic: قواعد مكمله
- Chinese: 契約行為, 合同, 合约, 合同书, 合同書
- French: contrat, contractuelle, contractualisation
- German: Vertrag
- Italian: contratto
- Korean: 청약과 승낙
- Russian: контракт
- Spanish: contrato
- Turkish: sozlesme_hukuk

### Digital and Academic Presence
Contracts are referenced in:
- National Library of Israel J9U ID: 987007557827405171
- Encyclopedia of Modern Ukraine ID: 20491
- Encyclopedia of Korean Culture ID: E0003196
- Great Russian Encyclopedia Portal IDs: dogovor-cfb9d7, kontrakt-cf8f09
- Australian Educational Vocabulary ID: scot/4085
- Australian Thesaurus of Education Descriptors ID: 516
- Nomenclature for Museum Cataloging: 13514
- Museum Digital Tag ID: 12465
- Factgrid Item ID: You Only Live Twice
- RKD Thesaurus ID: 74000
- Topic's Main Category: Category:Contracts
- Has Template: Template:Infobox treaty
- Klexikon Article ID: Vertrag
- IMDB Keyword: contract
- Store ID Google Play: avtale
- Catholic Encyclopedia ID: 04332a
- JSTOR Topic ID (archived): contracts
- Arab Encyclopedia Concept ID: 935
- Encyclopedia of China (Third Edition) ID: 408854
- National Library of Latvia ID: 000263726, 000050294
- Lex ID: kontrakt
- NL CR AUT ID: ph1223431, ph1223432
- Yale LUX ID: concept/d798add8-c794-44d5-95c2-310c41059239

### Image and Media
An image related to contracts is available at:
- https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Contract_for_the_participation_in_a_television_programme,_1975.jpg

### References
Contracts are described at:
- https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/contract
- https://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/contract

### Conclusion
The concept of a contract is deeply embedded in legal, cultural, and linguistic contexts. It serves as a foundational element in structuring agreements, ensuring legal enforceability, and facilitating trust in both personal and commercial relationships.

## References

1. [Nuovo soggettario](https://thes.bncf.firenze.sbn.it/termine.php?id=871)
2. Nuovo soggettario
3. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
4. Czech National Authority Database
5. Art & Architecture Thesaurus
6. [Source](https://referenceworks.brillonline.com/entries/encyclopaedia-of-the-quran/contracts-and-alliances-EQSIM_00092)
7. [Source](https://online.iequran.com/articles/A/32)
8. YSO-Wikidata mapping project
9. BabelNet
10. UMLS 2023
11. Quora
12. ASC Leiden Thesaurus dataset of 5 June 2018
13. [Source](https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/akid)
14. FactGrid
15. National Library of Israel
16. KBpedia