Meanings
noun
- lawThe doctrine that no individual is above the law and that everyone must answer to it.
- lawThe maxim whereby governmental decisions are made by applying known legal principles.
- Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see rule, law.
The repeal of legislation does not revive […] a rule of law that has been abolished.
Section 32(2)(b), Legislation Act 2019 (New Zealand)2 more examples
The rule of law whereby it is a crime for a person to commit suicide is hereby abrogated.
1961, Parliament of the United Kingdom, “Section 1”, in Suicide Act 1961ᵂⁱᵏⁱˢᵒᵘʳᶜᵉ, page 766In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires— […] “rule of law” includes written law; […]
Section 2(1), Electronic Transactions Act 2010 (Singapore)
Translations
Bulgarian върховенство на закона
- върховенство на закона (vărhovenstvo na zakona)the doctrine that no individual is above the law
Catalan imperi de la llei, estat de dret
- imperi de la lleithe doctrine that no individual is above the law
- estat de dretthe doctrine that no individual is above the law
Chinese Mandarin 法治
- 法治 (fǎzhì)the doctrine that no individual is above the law
Czech právní stát
- právní státthe doctrine that no individual is above the law
Finnish laillisuusperiaate
- laillisuusperiaatethe doctrine that no individual is above the law
French État de droit
- État de droitthe doctrine that no individual is above the law
German Rechtstaatlichkeit, Rechtsstaat
- Rechtstaatlichkeitthe doctrine that no individual is above the law
- Rechtsstaatthe doctrine that no individual is above the law
Hebrew שלטון החוק
- שלטון החוק (shiltón hakhók)the doctrine that no individual is above the law
Hungarian joguralom, jogállam
- joguralomthe doctrine that no individual is above the law
- jogállamthe maxim whereby governmental decisions are made by applying known legal principles
- jogállamiságthe maxim whereby governmental decisions are made by applying known legal principles
Indonesian supremasi hukum
- supremasi hukumthe doctrine that no individual is above the law
Irish forlámhas an dlí
- forlámhas an dlíthe doctrine that no individual is above the law
Japanese 法の支配
- 法の支配 (hō no shihai)the doctrine that no individual is above the law
Korean 법치, 법치주의
- 법치 (beopchi)the doctrine that no individual is above the law
- 법치주의 (beopchijuui)the doctrine that no individual is above the law
Polish praworządność, praworządność
- praworządnośćthe doctrine that no individual is above the law
- praworządnośćthe maxim whereby governmental decisions are made by applying known legal principles
Romanian stat de drept
- stat de dreptthe doctrine that no individual is above the law
Russian верхове́нство пра́ва, верхове́нство зако́на
- верхове́нство пра́ва (verxovénstvo práva)the doctrine that no individual is above the law
- верхове́нство зако́на (verxovénstvo zakóna)the doctrine that no individual is above the law
- но́рма пра́ва (nórma práva)the doctrine that no individual is above the law
Spanish imperio de la ley, Estado de derecho
- imperio de la leythe doctrine that no individual is above the law
- Estado de derechothe doctrine that no individual is above the law
Swedish rättsstat
- rättsstatthe doctrine that no individual is above the law
Thai นิติธรรม
- นิติธรรม (ní-dtì-tam)the doctrine that no individual is above the law
Ukrainian верхове́нство пра́ва
- верхове́нство пра́ва (verxovénstvo práva)the doctrine that no individual is above the law
Vietnamese pháp quyền
- pháp quyềnthe doctrine that no individual is above the law
Cite this entry
APA
rule of law. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rule%20of%20law
MLA
“rule of law.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rule%20of%20law. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “rule of law,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rule%20of%20law.
Source: rule of law on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.