WikiWord

English

affirm

/əˈfɝm/ · verb

Meaning

  1. To agree, verify or concur; to answer positively.
  2. To assert positively; to tell with confidence; to aver; to maintain as true.
  3. To support or encourage.
  4. To make firm; to confirm, or ratify; especially (law) to assert or confirm, as a judgment, decree, or order, brought before an appellate court for review.
  5. To state under a solemn promise to tell the truth which is considered legally equivalent to an oath, especially of those who have religious or other moral objections to swearing oaths; also solemnly affirm.
  6. Yes; true; correct.

Etymology / origin

From Middle English affermen, from Old French afermer, affermer, from Latin affirmare, adfirmare (“to present as fixed, aver, affirm”), from ad (“to”) + firmare (“to make firm”), from firmus (“firm”). By surface analysis, af- + firm.

  1. affirmare(Latin)
  2. afermer(fro)
  3. affermen(Middle English)
  4. *dʰer-(ine-pro)
  5. affirm (English)
  6. Relations: root, inh, der, der

Related words

Descendant words

Sources

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