Spanish Conversation · Level 117
59 words
Spanish word
coartada
Pronunciation
IPA/koaɾˈtaða/
Meaning
- feminine nounalibi
Example
¿Tienes una coartada para esa hora?
Do you have an alibi for that time?
More examples
La fiscal consiguió poner en duda la coartada del acusado.
The prosecutor managed to cast doubt on the defendant's alibi.
Core concept
Collection of witness statements, timestamps, or documents that support a person's absence from an event.
Common phrases
contar con una coartada
have an alibi
probar la coartada
prove the alibi
poner en duda la coartada
cast doubt on the alibi
Similar words
alibí: An assertion of a person's absence at a given time, possibly supported by witnesses or records.
excusa: A spoken or written excuse that evades fault or responsibility, usually informal.
pretexto: An invented pretext that conceals the real motive behind an act.
justificación: An explanation or set of reasons that legitimizes an action or choice.
Definition in Spanish
Conjunto de pruebas o relatos que respaldan que alguien no estuvo presente en el lugar de un suceso.
Word origin
It comes from Latin coarctare "to press together" via Spanish coartar, with the suffix -ada forming a noun for a gathered set of proofs that show someone was not at the scene.
Usage tips
- Common collocations are tener una coartada and presentar una coartada, and using coartada usually implies evidence rather than a mere excuse.
Other meanings
- excusenoun