deponent

American  

[dih-poh-nuhnt] / dɪˈpoʊ nənt /

adjective

1. Classical Greek and Latin Grammar. (of a verb) appearing only in the passive or Greek middle-voice forms, but with active meaning.

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noun

1. Law. a person who testifies under oath, especially in writing.

2. Classical Greek and Latin Grammar. a deponent verb, as Latin loquor.

deponent British  

/ dɪˈpəʊnənt /

adjective

1. grammar (of a verb, esp in Latin) having the inflectional endings of a passive verb but the meaning of an active verb

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noun

1. grammar a deponent verb

2. law

   1. a person who makes an affidavit

   2. a person, esp a witness, who makes a deposition

Etymology

Origin of deponent

1520–30; < Latin dēpōnent- (stem of dēpōnēns ) putting away ( Medieval Latin: testifying), present participle of dēpōnere. See depone, -ent

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

deponent

But the real secrets of its origin are revealed in its sixth word, consectetur, which happens to be the third-person singular present active subjunctive of the deponent Latin verb consector, which means “to pursue eagerly.”

From Slate ● Jan. 30, 2023

Gubbins: I don’t know if that’s a real thing, but I do know that it is a common deponent practice to have to identify oneself in evidence they would be presented with.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 23, 2022

The papers state: "The deponent did enquire whether it was possible to meet personally with the defendant, but the deponent was told that this was not possible."

From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2021

It is not unheard of for a judge, in a case with a reluctant deponent, to require that a deposition be taken in the courthouse so responses can be compelled if necessary.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 12, 2021

Sometimes the deponent suffered as many a one does now-a-days, in the newspaper and other reports, by the mere suppression of the question.

From The Cloister and the Hearth A Tale of the Middle Ages by Charles Reade

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