adjective acknowledged; declared: an avowed enemy.
Origin of avowed Middle English word dating back to
1300–50; see origin at
avow ,
-ed2 Related forms a·vow·ed·ly [uh -vou -id-lee] /əˈvaʊ ɪd li/ adverb a·vow·ed·ness , noun self-a·vowed , adjective un·a·vowed , adjective verb (used with object) to declare frankly or openly; own; acknowledge; confess; admit: He avowed himself an opponent of all alliances.
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Origin of avow 1150–1200; Middle English avowen <
Old French avoue(r ) <
Latin advocāre. See
advocate Related forms a·vow·a·ble , adjective a·vow·er , noun re·a·vow , verb (used with object) un·a·vow·a·ble , adjective un·a·vow·a·ble·ness , noun un·a·vow·a·bly , adverb Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for avowed Contemporary Examples of avowed An avowed creationist who consults for a food lobby hardly seems an appropriate choice to fulfill these criteria.
Should an avowed Marxist professor whose field of study is the 0.01 percent therefore be paid $15,000,000 a year?
And it may cease to be a worry at all if the avowed opponents of stop-and-frisk have their way.
A dishy book from an avowed sociopath has stirred up an awkward debate: perhaps all of us have a bit of the personality disorder.
His avowed goal had once been to get his American citizenship by boxing for the U.S. Olympic team and then turn pro.
Historical Examples of avowed Nor were they wrong, for such is the avowed aim of the "Forward Policy."
I have avowed them with an earnestness that I believe is without example: and why?
But truly, as he avowed , he was entering the fifth lustrum beyond it.
Take some of the avowed sublimities of the Rev. Mr. Cumming.
Incidentally, they were avowed friends of the former electrician, Parker.
British Dictionary definitions for avowed verb (tr) to state or affirm
to admit openly
law rare to justify or maintain (some action taken)
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Derived Forms avowable , adjective avowal , noun avowed (əˈvaʊd ), adjective avowedly (əˈvaʊɪdlɪ ), adverb avower , noun Word Origin for avow C13: from Old French avouer to confess, from Latin advocāre to appeal to, call upon; see avouch , advocate
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for avowed v. early 13c., from Anglo-French avouer , Old French avoer "acknowledge, accept, recognize," especially as a protector (Modern French avouer ), from Latin advocare (see advocate ). A synonym of avouch (q.v.), which tends to contain the more technical, legal aspect of the word. Related: Avowed ; avowing .
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
