verb
perjure
PURD-zhuh
Perjure (verb) means to deliberately lie while under oath, especially in court. Example: “He perjured himself by denying he was at the scene.”
verb
1
To deliberately lie while under oath, especially in court.
"He perjured himself by denying he was at the scene."
How to use perjure
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo lie under oath — almost always used reflexively as "perjure oneself."
Common mistake
Perjure is the verb ("he perjured himself"); perjury is the noun for the crime itself.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
perjure himself
perjure herself
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Word forms
- Plural
- perjures
- Third person singular
- perjures
- Past tense
- perjured
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
He _____ himself by denying he was at the scene.
Etymology
From Old French parjurer, from Latin periurare ("to swear falsely").
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for perjure
See all rhymes for perjure →Frequently asked questions
What does “perjure” mean?
The word “perjure” means to deliberately lie while under oath, especially in court. In plain terms, to lie under oath — almost always used reflexively as "perjure oneself.".
How do you pronounce “perjure”?
“Perjure” is pronounced PURD-zhuh (/ˈpɝd͡ʒɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “perjure” in a sentence?
Here is “perjure” used in a sentence: “He perjured himself by denying he was at the scene.”
What is another word for “perjure”?
Words with a similar meaning to “perjure” include forswear, manswear and misswear.
What part of speech is “perjure”?
“Perjure” is a verb.
Where does the word “perjure” come from?
The word “perjure” comes from Latin. From Old French parjurer, from Latin periurare ("to swear falsely").
