English Reference

Word

notary

Phoneticsno·tary

US/ˈnoʊtɝi/

UK/nˈəʊtəɹi/

Definition

n. an official who has the legal power to watch you sign important papers. They check your identity and sign the document too to prove it is real.

n. a public official authorised to witness the signing of legal documents and to administer oaths. Primarily serves to verify the identity of signatories and ensure the authenticity of a transaction.

Examples

“The bank needs a notary to witness your signature.”

“Before the property sale could be finalised, both parties had to meet with a notary to sign the deed.”

“In many jurisdictions, the presence of a notary is a statutory requirement for the execution of powers of attorney and other instruments that carry significant legal weight.”

Examples

simple

“The bank needs a notary to witness your signature.”

contextual

“Before the property sale could be finalised, both parties had to meet with a notary to sign the deed.”

complex

“In many jurisdictions, the presence of a notary is a statutory requirement for the execution of powers of attorney and other instruments that carry significant legal weight.”

Usage

Often used in the phrase 'notary public'.

Real-World Examples

“To make sure, you can request what’s called a nota simple from a notary to find out who the true owner is.”
The Local · 25 Mar 2025

Etymology

From Middle English notarie, from Old French notarie (French notaire), from Latin notārius.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Domain

Law

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference