/ ˈstætʃuːt; NAmE / noun
1.
a law that is passed by a parliament, council, etc. and formally written down :
Penalties are laid down in the statute .
Corporal punishment was banned by statute in 1987.
2.
a formal rule of an organization or institution :
Under the statutes of the university they had no power to dismiss him.
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : from Old French statut , from late Latin statutum , neuter past participle of Latin statuere set up from status standing, from stare to stand.