compurgation

[ kom-per-gey-shuhn ]
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noun
  1. an early common-law method of trial in which the defendant is acquitted on the sworn endorsement of a specified number of friends or neighbors.

Origin of compurgation

1
1650–60; <Medieval Latin compurgātiōn- (stem of compurgātiō), equivalent to com-com- + purgāt(us) (past participle of purgāre to purge) + -iōn--ion

Words Nearby compurgation

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How to use compurgation in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for compurgation

compurgation

/ (ˌkɒmpɜːˈɡeɪʃən) /


noun
  1. law (formerly) a method of trial whereby a defendant might be acquitted if a sufficient number of persons swore to his innocence

Origin of compurgation

1
C17: from Medieval Latin compurgātiō, from Latin compurgāre to purify entirely, from com- (intensive) + purgāre to purge

Derived forms of compurgation

  • compurgator, noun
  • compurgatory or compurgatorial, adjective

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