allege

Etymology

This word entered English as Middle English aleggen. Its origin is disputed: it perhaps comes from Old French alleguer, or from Anglo-Norman aleger, a form perhaps going back to Old French esligier (“to acquit”), from Medieval Latin *exlītigāre (“to clear at law”), from Latin ex (“out”) + lītigō (“sue at law”). Alternatively, its meaning derives from Old French alleguer, from Latin allēgāre (“send on a mission, depute; relate, mention, adduce”), from ad (“to”) + lēgō (“send”). See also al-.