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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 notes

In 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

Word forms

perjured past tense, perjures plural, perjures singular

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He _____ himself by denying he was at the scene.

Etymology

From Old French parjurer, from Latin periurare ("to swear falsely").

Origin: Latin

Related words

Rhymes for perjure

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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").

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial