amnesty

[ am-nuh-stee ]

/ ˈæm nə sti /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR amnesty ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural am·nes·ties.

a general pardon for offenses, especially political offenses, against a government, often granted before any trial or conviction.

Law. an act of forgiveness for past offenses, especially to a class of persons as a whole.

a forgetting or overlooking of any past offense.

verb (used with object), am·nes·tied, am·nes·ty·ing.

to grant amnesty to; pardon.

Nearby words

Origin of amnesty

1570–80; (< Middle French amnestie) < Greek amnēstía oblivion, equivalent to ámnēst(os) forgetting (a- a-⁶ + mnēs- remember + -tos verbal adjective suffix) + -ia -y³

SYNONYMS FOR amnesty

1. See pardon.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR amnesty ON THESAURUS.COM

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for amnesty

Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders cannot be accessed without a virtual private network.
China’s Internet Is Freer Than You Think|Brendon Hong|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He made clear that he was happy with “90 percent of it” but that he could never support “amnesty.”
Quirky Reindeer Farmer Keeps Government Open for Christmas|Ben Jacobs|December 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Along with amnesty, our borders were to be secured once and for all.
The Liberal Case Against Illegal Immigration|Doug McIntyre|November 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Herein lies the great dilemma then for the advocates of amnesty.
Legal but Still Poor: The Economic Consequences of Amnesty|Joel Kotkin|November 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The immigrants got their amnesty and the United States got 12 million to 20 million more undocumented immigrants.
Didn't Obama Hear Oregon’s Warning Shot on Immigration?|Doug McIntyre|November 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Society should make a truce occasionally, or proclaim an amnesty with offenders of our stamp.
Robbery Under Arms|Thomas Alexander Browne, AKA Rolf Boldrewood
Democracy is restored in Athens by Thrasybulus; he publishes an act of amnesty.
The Great Events by Famous Historians, Vol. 2|Various
My office was a common resort for these people after they had taken the oath of amnesty.
A Narrative of Service with the Third Wisconsin Infantry|Julian Wisner Hinkley
It was now certain that an act of amnesty was in contemplation by the King.
The Rise of the Dutch Republic, Volume II.(of III) 1566-74|John Lothrop Motley
Poverty was universal within the region of the Confederacy when Johnson issued his amnesty proclamation and the troops came home.
The New Nation|Frederic L. Paxson

British Dictionary definitions for amnesty

amnesty

/ (ˈæmnɪstɪ) /

noun plural -ties

a general pardon, esp for offences against a government

a period during which a law is suspended to allow offenders to admit their crime without fear of prosecution

law a pardon granted by the Crown or Executive and effected by statute

verb -ties, -tying or -tied

(tr) to overlook or forget (an offence)

Word Origin for amnesty

C16: from Latin amnēstia, from Greek: oblivion, from amnēstos forgetting, from a- 1 + -mnēstos, from mnasthai to remember

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for amnesty

amnesty

"pardon of past offenses," 1570s, from French amnestie "intentional overlooking," from Latin amnestia, from Greek amnestia "forgetfulness (of wrong); an amnesty," from a-, privative prefix, "not" (see a- (3)), + mnestis "remembrance," related to mnaomai "I remember" (see mind (n.)). As a verb, from 1809. Amnesty International founded 1961 as Appeal for Amnesty. The name was changed 1963.