affidavit

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See also: affidávit

English

Etymology

From Medieval Latin affidavit (he has sworn), the third person singular perfect tense of affido (swear), from fīdō, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeydʰ- (to command, to persuade, to trust). Cognate to fidelity and faith (same Latin root), but not to affirm (shared Latin ad- prefix, but different Latin and Proto-Indo-European roots).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˌæfɪˈdeɪvɪt/, (Philippines, nonstandard) /-ævɪt/
  • Audio:(file)
  • Rhymes: -eɪvɪt, (Philippines) -ævɪt

Noun

affidavit (plural affidavits)

  1. (law) A signed document wherein an affiant makes a sworn statement.
    He submitted his affidavit rather than appearing to testify in court.
    • 1962 [1959], William S. Burroughs, Naked Lunch, New York: Grove Press, page 170:
      Lee's case is urgent. He has to file an immediate affidavit that he is suffering from bubonic plague to avoid eviction from the house he has occupied ten years without paying the rent.
    • 1984 December 8, “Pressing Records”, in Gay Community News, volume 12, number 21, page 2:
      All lifters were certified by affidavit and polygraph to be steroid free.

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

affidavit (third-person singular simple present affidavits, present participle affidaviting, simple past and past participle affidavited)

  1. (law) To swear by such a document.

Further reading

French

Pronunciation

Noun

affidavit m (plural affidavits)

  1. affidavit

Further reading

Latin

Pronunciation

Verb

affīdāvit

  1. third-person singular perfect active indicative of affīdō (to swear)

Portuguese

Noun

affidavit m (plural affidavits)

  1. (law) affidavit (legal, signed document wherein an affiant makes a sworn statement)