Word of the day: Avouch

Avouch

[ə-VOWCH]

Part of speech: verb

Origin: Latin, 14th century

1mAffirm or assert.

Examples of avouch in a sentence

"The witness avouched that she saw a man in a blue sweatshirt enter the house after dark."

"It’s wise to avouch one’s dietary needs to the waiter when ordering your meal."

About Avouch

“Avouch” is based on the old French “avouchier,” which was itself based on the Latin “advocāre,” meaning “to summon.”

Did you Know?

Anyone who makes a speech or publishes a declaration is engaged in avouching, meaning President Abraham Lincoln avouched both the Emancipation Proclamation and the Gettysburg Address, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. avouched the “I Have a Dream” speech (and many others). Speechmaking is often associated with building nations and cultures, and certainly these speeches have been foundational to the character of the United States. “Avouch” is based on the Latin root “advocāre,” meaning “to call” or “to summon.” It is also the root of the word “avocat,” “avvocato,” and “abogado,” meaning “lawyer” in French, Italian, and Spanish, respectively.