indemnity

[ in-dem-ni-tee ]

noun

, plural in·dem·ni·ties.

1. protection or security against damage or loss.
2. compensation for damage or loss sustained.
3. something paid by way of such compensation.
4. protection, as by insurance, from liabilities or penalties incurred by one's actions.
5. legal exemption from penalties attaching to unconstitutional or illegal actions, granted to public officers and other persons.

indemnity

/ ɪnˈdɛmnɪtɪ /

noun

1. compensation for loss or damage; reimbursement
2. protection or insurance against future loss or damage
3. legal exemption from penalties or liabilities incurred through one's acts or defaults
4. (in Canada) the salary paid to a member of Parliament or of a legislature
5. act of indemnity
   act of indemnity an act of Parliament granting exemption to public officers from technical penalties that they may have been compelled to incur

Other Words From

• anti-in·demni·ty adjective
• prein·demni·ty noun plural preindemnities

Word History and Origins

Origin of indemnity¹

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English indem(p)nite, from Middle French indemnité, from Latin indemnitāt-, stem of indemnitās “security from financial loss”; in- ³, damn, -i-, -ty ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of indemnity¹

C15: from Late Latin indemnitās, from indemnis uninjured, from Latin in- ¹+ damnum damage

Example Sentences

In 1825, France forced Haiti to pay a substantial indemnity for “property lost” during the Haitian Revolution, including the value of the workers who had freed themselves from slavery.

From Washington Post

In 1945, a young man named Chen Ning Yang graduated from Tsinghua and arrived at the University of Chicago for his PhD on a Boxer Indemnity Scholarship.

From MIT Technology Review

Hoping to improve relations between the two countries, the US government decided to return almost half the American portion of the indemnity China had agreed to pay in the Boxer Protocol.

From MIT Technology Review

There, in his empty office, he tells his story to a Dictaphone (channeling Double Indemnity) of how he became “Devin Morehouse.”

From The Daily Beast

A more carefully worded legal indemnity would stop that happening.

From The Daily Beast

The expatriated ex-rebels became alarmed by the non-receipt of the indemnity instalment and the news from their homes.

From Project Gutenberg

In due course indemnity claims were forwarded to the military authorities, who rejected them all.

From Project Gutenberg

The French war indemnity enabled him to redeem a considerable portion of the state debt and to remit certain taxes.

From Project Gutenberg

Before he left Canada he proclaimed the act of indemnity, and notified her majesty's disallowance of the ordinance.

From Project Gutenberg

In reality the dissenters suffered very little from these acts, for they were relieved by annual acts of indemnity.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• compensation
• repayment
• restitution

More About Indemnity

What does indemnity mean?

Indemnity is protection or security against damage or loss, or compensation for damages or money spent.

Insurance coverage provides indemnity to a person (or organization) by insuring them for certain potential situations, such as damages to their property from natural disasters or accidents. Indemnity is commonly used in legal contracts to secure protection against being sued or being held responsible for an accident. It’s often seen in the phrase indemnity clause.

The verb form of indemnity is indemnify, which means to provide such protection or security, typically in the form of insurance.

Outside the context of insurance, indemnity is sometimes used in a metaphorical way to mean protection, as in Your wealth does not provide indemnity from disease. 

Example: The whole purpose of car insurance is so that you have indemnity in case you get into an accident—buying insurance after an accident happens won’t cover you.

Where does indemnity come from?

The first records of indemnity come from the 1400s. It comes from the Latin indemni(s), meaning “without loss” or “uninjured.” This is formed from the prefix in-, which has a negating effect equivalent to un-, and demn-, from damnum, meaning “loss.”

Indemnity is most commonly used in the context of insurance and legal contracts. Insurance coverage gives the policyholder indemnity, meaning it protects against financial liability for damages or loss. Damages refers to those that happen to a piece of property like a car or house, or to injuries suffered by a person. Loss refers to things like the loss of income one might experience because they can’t work. If a person is indemnified for these things, they get compensated for (at least part of) the money lost or spent.

In corporate law, an indemnity agreement can indemnify a company’s executives against personally being sued if the company is sued.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to indemnity?

• indemnify (verb)
• indemnitee (noun)
• indemnitor (noun)
• anti-indemnity (noun)
• preindemnity (noun)

What are some words that share a root or word element with indemnity? 

 

• indemnification
• condemn
• damn

What are some words that often get used in discussing indemnity?

 

• clause
• contract
• agreement
• insurance
• loss
• damage
• protection
• compensate
• repay
• reimburse
• safeguard
• secure

How is indemnity used in real life?

Indemnity is most commonly used in a technical way in the context of insurance and legal contracts, but it is sometimes used in a metaphorical way.

Tomorrow we will be launching our first podcast episode on General Practice Indemnity. We're joined by Keira Moulds, Head of Primary Care @NHSEngland to look at what the Clinical Negligence Scheme for General Practice means for beneficiaries. #GPIPodcast #ClinicalNegligence pic.twitter.com/5LZ2Y2s5AN

— NHSResolution (@NHSResolution) May 13, 2020

Agreement has been reached to allow redeployment of home carers to Nursing Homes – announced almost 4 wks ago. HSE has been working to resolve indemnity. Understood that Nursing Homes will extend indemnity once secondment agreement & employee declarations are signed @rtenews

— Ailbhe Conneely (@AilbheConneely) April 29, 2020

An in-depth look at the big source of Harry & Meghan’s funding: Prince Charles’ “private” estate — it enjoys sweeping tax relief, indemnity from laws that apply to others & extraordinary rights to be consulted on any legislation that affects its interests. https://t.co/3sH1vmg3qv

— Jane Bradley (@jane__bradley) January 26, 2020

 

 

Try using indemnity!

Is indemnity used correctly in the following sentence? 

This coverage provides indemnity for flooding.