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American Dictionary of the English Language

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Municipal


MUNIC'IPAL, adjective [Latin municipalis, from municeps, a person who enjoys the rights of a free citizen; munus, office, duty, and capio, to take.]

1. Pertaining to a corporation or city; as municipal rights; municipal officers.

2. Pertaining to a state, kingdom or nation.

Municipal law is properly defined to be a rule of civil conduct prescribed by the supreme power in a state--

Municipal, as used by the Romans, originally designated that which pertained to a municipium, a free city or town. It still retains this limited sense; but we have extended it to what belongs to a state or nation, as a distinct, independent body. municipal law or regulation respects solely the citizens of a state, and is thus distinguished from commercial law, political law, and the law of nations.