Definition of DEPONENT

deponent

Plural: deponents

Noun

  • A person who testifies under oath, especially in writing.
  • a person who testifies or gives a deposition
  • A witness; especially one who gives information under oath, in a deposition concerning facts known to him or her.
  • A deponent verb.

Adj

  • Having an active meaning, but conjugating as though it were being used with a different voice (such as the passive).

Examples

  • The DEPONENT swore that ’QI’ was indeed a valid two-letter word in Scrabble.

Origin / Etymology

From Latin dēpōnēns (“laying aside”), the present active participle of dēpōnō (“lay aside”), from dē- + pōnō (“put, place”). The name comes from the idea that such verbs were originally reflexive and then later "laid aside" their passive meanings.

Synonyms

deposer, testifier

Scrabble Score: 11

deponent: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
deponent: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
deponent: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 14

deponent: valid Words With Friends Word