perjury

[ pur-juh-ree ]
/ ˈpɜr dʒə ri /

noun, plural per·ju·ries. Law.

the willful giving of false testimony under oath or affirmation, before a competent tribunal, upon a point material to a legal inquiry.

Origin of perjury

1250–1300; Middle English perjurie < Anglo-French < Latin perjūrium, equivalent to perjūr(us) swearing falsely (see perjure) + -ium -ium; replacing parjure < Old French < Latin as above

OTHER WORDS FROM perjury

per·ju·ri·ous [per-joo r-ee-uh s] /pərˈdʒʊər i əs/, adjective per·ju·ri·ous·ly, adverb per·ju·ri·ous·ness, noun non·per·ju·ry, noun, plural non·per·ju·ries.

Example sentences from the Web for perjury

British Dictionary definitions for perjury

perjury
/ (ˈpɜːdʒərɪ) /

noun plural -juries

criminal law the offence committed by a witness in judicial proceedings who, having been lawfully sworn or having affirmed, wilfully gives false evidence

Derived forms of perjury

perjurious (pɜːˈdʒʊərɪəs), adjective perjuriously, adverb

Word Origin for perjury

C14: from Anglo-French parjurie, from Latin perjūrium a false oath; see perjure