Simple English definitions for legal terms
Read a random definition: Multilateral Treaties
Subject: The topic or thing that we are talking about. It can also mean a person who owes loyalty to a king or queen and follows their laws. Sometimes, subject and citizen mean the same thing, but not always. Subject is usually used for monarchies, while citizen is used for republics. Everyone who lives in a country is a subject, whether they are a citizen or not. Subject can also mean the thing that a law or rule is about.
Definition: Subject, as an adjective, refers to something that is relevant to the current discussion. As a noun, it refers to a person who owes allegiance to a sovereign and is governed by that sovereign's laws.
The first example illustrates the adjective form of subject, where the property being discussed is relevant to the current discussion. The second example illustrates the noun form of subject, where the people who owe allegiance to a sovereign are referred to as subjects.
It is important to note that the term subject is commonly used in monarchical forms of government, while the term citizen is more commonly used in republics. However, both terms refer to individuals who have a personal relationship with the state and are subject to its power and jurisdiction.