# affidavit

/ˌæfəˈdeɪvət/ (US) · /ˌæfɪdˈeɪvɪt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/affidavit
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. legal document

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal · Technical

a written promise that a statement is true, signed in front of a lawyer or official.

For teachers: a written statement of evidence confirmed by oath or affirmation, used as testimony in legal proceedings.

- The witness signed an affidavit confirming that she saw the car hit the wall.
- The defense attorney submitted a sworn affidavit from the primary witness, which directly contradicted the prosecution's timeline of events.

Usage: Usually used with the verbs 'sign', 'file', or 'submit'.

Teaching tip: Learners should note that an affidavit is written, whereas 'testimony' is often spoken in court.

### 2. to swear a statement

verb · CEFR C2 · Formal · Technical

to promise that a written statement is true by signing a legal document.

For teachers: to confirm or swear to a statement by means of an affidavit.

- He had to affidavit his claims before the judge would consider the case.
- The claimant was required to affidavit the financial disclosures to ensure their admissibility during the audit.

Usage: This verb form is much less common than the noun form.

Teaching tip: Advise students to use the noun 'affidavit' with 'sign' or 'provide' instead of using it as a verb, as the verb use is rare outside of specific legal jargon.

## Examples

- She signed the affidavit to confirm her address.
- The lawyer asked him to sign the affidavit before the court hearing began next week.
- The judge dismissed the claim because the plaintiff failed to submit a sworn affidavit supporting the alleged damages.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.