Perjury: meaning, definitions and examples

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perjury

 

[ ˈpərdʒəri ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

legal term

The offense of willfully telling an untruth in a court after having taken an oath or affirmation.

Synonyms

false swearing, lying under oath, perfidy

Examples of usage

  • He was found guilty of perjury for lying under oath during the trial.
  • The witness was charged with perjury after giving false testimony in court.
Context #2 | Noun

general term

The act of lying or making false statements under oath, typically in a legal setting.

Synonyms

deceit, dishonesty, false statement

Examples of usage

  • The perjury committed by the defendant significantly impacted the outcome of the case.
  • The consequences of perjury can include fines, imprisonment, or both.

Translations

Translations of the word "perjury" in other languages:

🇵🇹 perjúrio

🇮🇳 झूठी गवाही

🇩🇪 Meineid

🇮🇩 sumpah palsu

🇺🇦 лжесвідчення

🇵🇱 krzywoprzysięstwo

🇯🇵 偽証

🇫🇷 parjure

🇪🇸 perjurio

🇹🇷 yalancı şahitlik

🇰🇷 위증

🇸🇦 شهادة زور

🇨🇿 křivá přísaha

🇸🇰 krivá prísaha

🇨🇳 伪证

🇸🇮 kriva prisega

🇮🇸 meinsæri

🇰🇿 жалған куәлік

🇬🇪 ცრუ ჩვენება

🇦🇿 yalançı şahidlik

🇲🇽 perjurio

Etymology

The word 'perjury' originated from the Latin word 'perjurium', which means false oath. The concept of perjury has been present in legal systems for centuries, dating back to ancient Rome. Perjury is considered a serious offense as it undermines the integrity of the legal process and can lead to miscarriages of justice. Throughout history, various measures have been implemented to deter and punish perjury, reflecting the importance of truth and honesty in legal proceedings.

See also: perjure, perjurer.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranked #12,134, this word falls into high-advanced vocabulary. It appears less frequently but is valuable for expressing precise meanings in specific contexts.