alibi

Etymology

First recorded in 1727 according to the OED^[1] and in 1743 according to Merriam-Webster.^[2] It is borrowed from Latin alibī (“elsewhere”), a locative form of Latin alius (“other”),^[1][3] from Proto-Indo-European *al- (“beyond”).^[3] Wiktionary suggests the use followed French alibi.^[4]

The weakened sense “excuse” is attested from 1912;^[3] Etymonline notes that, strictly, a proof of innocence that does not involve being elsewhere is an excuse rather than an alibi.^[3]

Noun

alibi

1. (law) A defence in which the accused claims to have been somewhere else when the offence was committed; also, the fact of having been elsewhere.^[5][2][6]
2. An excuse, especially one meant to avoid blame.^[5][2][4]
3. A person used as one's excuse.^[6]

Verb

alibi

1. To provide an alibi or excuse for someone.^[2][6][4]
2. To make an excuse for oneself.^[5][2][6]

References

1. [1] [2] Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
2. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
3. [1] [2] [3] [4] Harper, Douglas, Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. [1] [2] [3] Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
5. [1] [2] [3] The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Boston: Houghton Mifflin
6. [1] [2] [3] [4] Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, New York: Random House