alibi etymology

Etymology:

  • Middle English: alibi, from Latin
  • Latin: alibi, "elsewhere"

Meaning:

  • A declaration or evidence that a person was not present at a particular place and time when an alleged crime or event occurred.
  • A defense against an allegation by stating that the accused was somewhere else during the alleged incident.

Origin:

The Latin word "alibi" is composed of two parts:

  • "ali-" (meaning "other")
  • "ibi" (meaning "there")

Together, they literally mean "elsewhere there," or "in another place."

The legal concept of an alibi emerged in Roman law, where it was used as a defense against charges of theft or other crimes. The accused would produce witnesses or other evidence to support their claim that they were not at the scene of the crime when it occurred.

Over time, the term "alibi" was adopted into English and has since become a common legal term in many countries around the world. It is an important defense strategy that can help to exonerate an accused person if it can be proven that they were not present at the time and place of the alleged crime.

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