affirmation

American  

[af-er-mey-shuhn] / ˌæf ərˈmeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act or an instance of affirming; state of being affirmed.

2. the assertion that something exists or is true.

3. something that is affirmed; a statement or proposition that is declared to be true.

4. confirmation or ratification of the truth or validity of a prior judgment, decision, etc.

5. Law. a solemn declaration accepted instead of a statement under oath.

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affirmation British  

/ ˌæfəˈmeɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of affirming or the state of being affirmed

2. a statement of the existence or truth of something; assertion

3. law a solemn declaration permitted on grounds of conscientious objection to taking an oath

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Other Word Forms

• nonaffirmation noun
• overaffirmation noun
• preaffirmation noun
• reaffirmation noun
• self-affirmation noun

Etymology

Origin of affirmation

First recorded in 1535–45; from Latin affirmātiōn-, stem of affirmātiō, equivalent to affirmāt(us) (past participle of affirmāre affirm ) + -iō -ion

Example Sentences

Would it be an affirmation of nature’s power of renewal or an omen of irreversible decline?

From Los Angeles Times

Rob Reynolds, an Iraq war veteran who has advocated for veterans seeking housing and services at the West L.A. campus also hailed the ruling as an overdue affirmation of veterans’ needs.

From Los Angeles Times

I see the affirmation online, painted on mugs, dishes and magnets.

From Salon

The Díaz signing was an affirmation of the team’s operating procedure on the free-agent market.

From Los Angeles Times

The affirmations by Democratic and Republican lawmakers were made after viewing footage of the 2 September double-strike incident and hearing from Adm Frank Bradley in closed-door hearings.

From BBC

Related Words

• assertion
• confirmation