French Conversation · Level 116
60 words
French word
déposition
Pronunciation
IPA/depozisjɔ̃/
Meaning
- feminine nountestimony
Example
La police a pris sa déposition hier.
The police took his testimony yesterday.
More examples
Au procès, sa déposition a été décisive.
At the trial, his deposition was decisive.
Core concept
A witness or involved person gives a factual account that an official authority records as evidence.
Common phrases
une déposition sous serment
a sworn deposition
déposition écrite
a written deposition
Similar words
témoignage: A spoken or written account of what a witness or participant saw or experienced.
déclaration: A formal statement of facts or views made orally or in writing.
attestation: A formal written certificate confirming a particular fact.
procès-verbal: A formal document recording events or decisions during a meeting or procedure.
Definition in French
Déclaration faite devant une autorité (police, juge) par une personne qui relate des faits la concernant ou dont elle a été témoin, et qui peut être consignée par écrit.
Word origin
The noun déposition is formed from déposer, which descends from Latin deponere, and its sense shifted from putting something down to submitting a statement in a legal procedure.
Usage tips
- French commonly uses prendre la déposition for an authority recording it, as in La police a pris sa déposition, rather than a literal English-style verb choice.