affidavit
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of affidavit
First recorded in 1615–25; from Medieval Latin affīdāvit “(he) has declared on oath,” 3rd-person singular perfect of affīdāre “to declare an oath”; see affiance
Explanation
If you make a written statement to the police or another recognized authority like a notary public that you swear is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, what you've put down on paper is an affidavit. We get the noun affidavit from the Latin affidare, which means "to pledge." When you state something in an affidavit, you're pledging to the powers that be that you're not lying. The word usually appears in legal settings; if you watch a lot of cop shows or courtroom dramas, it probably rings a bell. "According to the affidavit, Mrs. Smith told police she found the burglar in her closet wearing her most expensive pair of shoes."
Vocabulary lists containing affidavit
The Crucible
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Tangerine
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He said in an affidavit that he placed bets on everything from Romanian soccer to the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026
Los Angeles police officers were patrolling the park around 10: 20 p.m. on May 5 when they spotted Johnson abruptly conduct a U-turn in front of them, according to an affidavit filed with the complaint.
From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026
If no probate yet exists, consider filing a small‑estate affidavit or summary probate, which is often less expensive and faster than the full probate process.
From MarketWatch • May 19, 2026
Judge Boulee acknowledged that the affidavit in question was “far from perfect” and that “the events leading up to this case are, in a variety of ways, unprecedented.”
From Slate • May 8, 2026
He did so via an affidavit notarized in Berkeley on May 4, the day of Bush’s return appearance.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
