cession

noun

ces·​sion ˈse-shən 

: a yielding to another : concession

Synonyms

• capitulating
• capitulation
• handover
• relinquishment
• rendition
• submission
• submitting
• surrender

Examples of cession in a Sentence

territorial cessions from one state to another

The law required cession of the land to the heirs.

Recent Examples on the Web

In 1788, there were three avenues for lawful colonisation: conquest through war; cession by treaty; and occupation of a land declared terra nullius. —Maggie Knight-Williams, refinery29.com, 22 Jan. 2024

German citizens resented the cession of this land with its three million Germans, and over the course of the 1930s, Hitler became increasingly aggressive in demanding its return to his Third Reich. —TIME, 16 Apr. 2024

The prevalence of smoking has significantly decreased since the 1990s, and countries have been enacting various attempts at cession for decades—including restrictions on smoking in public places. —Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2023

In the meantime, the federal government assigned clerks to deal with the day-to-day logistics of the removal, appointed commissioners to negotiate land cessions, and mobilized thousands of soldiers to make the deportations a reality on the ground. —David Treuer, Foreign Affairs, 9 June 2020

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin cession-, cessio, from cedere to withdraw — more at cede

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

cession

noun

ces·​sion ˈsesh-ən 

: a giving over (as of territory or rights) to another

Legal Definition

cession

noun

ces·​sion ˈse-shən 

1

: an act of ceding : a yielding (as of property) to another: as

a

in the civil law of Louisiana : assignment or transfer of property rights by a debtor to a creditor

b

: transfer of liability by an insurer to a reinsurer

c

: transfer of control of or sovereignty over specific property or territory especially by treaty

such district…as may, by cession of particular States…become the seat of the government of the United States

—U.S. Constitution art. I

2

: the monetary amount of liability ceded by an insurer to a reinsurer compare concession