Nullification

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˌnʌlɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/

Definitions

1. The process of invalidating or canceling a law or policy is known as rendering it ineffective or void
2. It involves the formal dismissal of specific regulations or laws by a governing body, negating their authority
3. The action of declaring a law or rule as no longer legally valid

Etymology: Late Latin gave English "nullificatio," a noun built from the verb "nullifico," which means "to make void." That verb is itself a compound of "nullus," meaning "none" or "not any," and the suffix that turns a verb into an action noun. In other words, to nullify something is literally to reduce it to nothing, to make it as if it had never existed. The English word carries that sense into the legal and political sphere. A nullification is the act of a governing body formally declaring a rule, law, or regulation to have no force, so that it no longer has any authority, even though it may still be on the books. The idea is a sharp one: the law is not repealed by a new statute, it is simply treated as void.

Synonyms: cancellation, annulment, repeal, abrogation, voiding

Antonyms: confirmation, ratification, validation, approval, endorsement