declaration English · revision 7807

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1340|origins=la declaro}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˌdɛk.ləˈɹeɪ.ʃən/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English declaracioun, [[bor|frm|declaration]] and directly Latin [[m|la|declaratio|alt=dēclārātiō|t=a making clear, disclosure]],^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(NODE 1998) from the past participle stem of [[m|la|declaro|alt=dēclārāre|t=to make clear, reveal, announce]] (see [[declare]]),^(Etymonline)^(NODE 1998) from dē-, intensive, and clārāre, to clarify, from clārus, [[clear]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Stating or announcing openly: 1340 in the OED;^(OED 1989) an explanation, the late 14th century in Etymonline.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Making clear something obscure is from about 1374,^(OED 1989) and the exposition of a topic from 1382.^(OED 1989) A proclamation or formal public statement is from about 1400.^(Etymonline) A ''declaration of war'' is from 1387 in the OED and by 1762 in Etymonline.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) A document making a formal announcement is from the 1650s,^(Etymonline) and the American ''Declaration of Independence'' of 1776 seems to be the first so called, though the title is not in the document itself.^(Etymonline) A declaration of love, a proposal, is from 1739–40,^(OED 1989) and the ''declaration of the poll'' from 1835.^(OED 1989) In law it is also a plaintiff's formal statement of his claim, and in customs a statement of goods subject to duty.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1340 – an open statement.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1387 – declaration of war.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1650s – a formal document.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1739–40 – a declaration of love.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1776 – Declaration of Independence.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A formal or explicit [[statement]] or announcement.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # The act of [[declare|alt=declaring]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A statement of goods or property subject to [[duty]] or tax.^(AHD)

+ # ''(law)'' A formal statement of the facts of a claim, or an unsworn statement of a witness.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[counterdeclaration]]

+ * [[nondeclaration]]

+ * [[predeclaration]]

+ * [[redeclaration]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[declare]]

+ * [[declarative]]

+ * [[clear]]

+ * [[clarify]]

+ * [[clarity]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}