Affidavit meaning
A written statement given voluntarily and sworn to before a person authorized to administer oaths.
noun
A voluntary and written ex parte statement of facts signed and the truth of its content affirmed or sworn to by the declarant before a notary public or another officer authorized to administer oaths. See also affirmation.
noun
The definition of affidavit is a legal term for an official written statement made under oath before a judge, notary public or other person with legal authority.
An example of an affidavit is a confession made and signed and used as evidence in trial.
noun
A written declaration made under oath before a notary public or other authorized officer.
noun
A sworn, written statement made in the presence of a notary public or a person who is authorized to administer an oath. Affidavits are used in legal proceedings and may be submitted in lieu of having a person appear in court.
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Origin of affidavit
- Medieval Latin affīdāvit from third person sing. perfect tense of affīdāre to pledge affiance
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
- From Medieval Latin affidavit (“he has sworn”), the third person singular perfect tense of affido (“swear”), from fīdō, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰidʰ-, zero-grade of 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).
From Wiktionary