acceded

Acceded is the past tense and past participle of the verb accede. It has several related uses: to yield to a request or proposal; to join or become a party to an agreement or organization; or to ascend to a throne or office. The sense depends on context, but all share the core idea of giving consent or stepping into a position.

In international law, accede to a treaty means to become bound by its terms even though one did not sign the treaty initially. Accession is the formal process by which a state agrees to be bound, typically through an instrument of accession, with obligations taking effect on a date specified in the instrument or by the treaty. This is distinct from ratification, which involves formal approval by a state that has signed the treaty.

In domestic politics and royal succession, accede is used for accession to a throne or to a position of power, such as a monarch acceding after the death or resignation of a predecessor. The term can also appear in contexts where a party or organization accedes to proposals or demands, though this use is more common in formal or historical writing.

Etymology: accede comes from Old French acéder, ultimately from Latin accedere, meaning “to approach, come toward,” from ad- “toward” + cedere “to go.” In modern usage, acceded remains a formal term signaling consent, entry into a treaty, or the transfer of authority.

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