# contract

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈkɒntɹækt/ · frequency rank #1,216

## Definitions
1. An agreement between two or more parties, to perform a specific job or work order, often temporary or of fixed duration and usually governed by a written agreement.
2. An agreement which the law will enforce in some way. A legally binding contract must contain at least one promise, i.e., a commitment or offer, by an offeror to and accepted by an offeree to do something in the future. A contract is thus executory rather than executed.
3. The document containing such an agreement.
4. A part of legal studies dealing with laws and jurisdiction related to contracts.
5. An order, usually given to a hired assassin, to kill someone.
6. The declarer's undertaking to win the number of tricks bid with a stated suit as trump.

## Etymology
From Middle English, from Old French contract, from Latin contractus (noun), from contrahere (“to bring together, to bring about, to conclude a bargain”) [from con- (“with, together”) + trahere (“to draw, to pull”)] + -tus (suffix forming nouns from verbs).

## Easily confused with
- **contrast** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/contract-vs-contrast)
- **contrary** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/contract-vs-contrary)
- **contracts** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/contract-vs-contracts)
- **contractor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/contract-vs-contractor)
- **contracted** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/contract-vs-contracted)
- **contradict** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/contract-vs-contradict)
- **counteract** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/contract-vs-counteract)
- **contact** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/contact-vs-contract)
- **contacts** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/contacts-vs-contract)
- **construct** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/construct-vs-contract)

## Common misspellings (13)
`ccontract`, `cnotract`, `conntract`, `conrtact`, `contarct`, `contracct`, `contractt`, `contratc`, `contrcat`, `contrract`, `conttract`, `cotnract`, `ocntract`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/contract