alibi
AL-ih-bye
/ˈæləbaɪ/
A claim or piece of evidence that one was elsewhere when an act, typically a criminal one, is alleged to have taken place.
While primarily legal, it is often used informally to mean any excuse for not being present or for failing at a task.
The story behind the word. The word comes directly from the Latin 'alibi', meaning 'elsewhere'. In Roman law, if you could prove you were 'alibi' during a crime, you were effectively cleared. It entered English in the 18th century as a legal term.
Word relationships
- defense: A general term for any argument against an accusation, whereas an alibi is specifically about location.
- confession: An admission of guilt, whereas an alibi is a claim of innocence based on absence.
Commonly confused with
- excuse: An excuse explains why you did something; an alibi proves you couldn't have done it because you weren't there.
Word family
- alibi (verb): To provide an alibi for someone.
Collocations
- ironclad alibi
- provide an alibi
- fake alibi
Example sentences
- "The suspect's alibi was blown when the waiter testified that the restaurant was closed that night." In a classic mystery novel, the detective breaks the suspect's story.
- "'He has a perfect alibi,' said Poirot. 'He was in the village at the time the crime was committed.'" From Agatha Christie's 'The Mysterious Affair at Styles'.
Memory hook
Think of 'Ali' being 'Bye'—Ali is gone, he's elsewhere, so he has an alibi. Alibi = Elsewhere.
When not to use
Do not use 'alibi' to describe a logical reason for an action; use 'justification' instead.
Fun facts
- In modern slang, 'alibi' is sometimes used as a verb, though purists still prefer it as a noun.
Related words
Explore more words
allegation, allege, exonerate, exculpate, circumstantial, defense
Also appears in
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