notary
Americannoun
plural
notariesnoun
-
a notary public
-
(formerly) a clerk licensed to prepare legal documents
-
archaic a clerk or secretary
Other Word Forms
- notarial adjective
- notarially adverb
- notaryship noun
Etymology
Origin of notary
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English, from Latin notārius “clerk,” from not(āre) “to mark” ( see note) + -ārius -ary
Explanation
A notary is someone with the legal power to witness signatures, verify documents, and take depositions. A notary — also known as a notary public — is a person who has been licensed by a state to perform a few legal functions. The most common one is to witness signatures. For many types of paperwork, you need a notary to be present as you sign, which makes the paperwork official. Notaries also have the power to verify various types of documents and are allowed to take depositions (statements) in some legal situations.
Vocabulary lists containing notary
"Maus II: And Here My Troubles Began" by Art Spiegelman
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The Mona Lisa Vanishes
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The Voyage of the Frog
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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.
“Sometimes, you’re dealing with a notary person who only works on Wednesdays, and takes all of August off,” she said.
From Slate • Feb. 1, 2026
The notary wrote to Freymond several times seeking information about Puech’s financial affairs, but received no substantive response.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 18, 2025
In Latin American countries, a notario or notary public is an attorney or has legal training, but that’s not the case in the United States.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 27, 2025
Ahead of becoming the ruling Frelimo party's presidential candidate he had been a radio and television host, a legal notary, university lecturer and provincial governor before rising to the post of general secretary in Frelimo.
From BBC • Jan. 14, 2025
He cannot be a notary, but he already shows a talent for drawing, and Andrea del Verrocchio, a Florentine painter and sculptor, has agreed to take him on as an apprentice.
From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day
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.
