Alibi Is Latin for Elsewhere
Alibis are proofs of being somewhere else. The word is a Latin adverb that English turned into a noun.
Alibis are claims of having been somewhere else when something happened. The word is a plain Latin adverb, *alibi*, meaning elsewhere. English lawyers used it in the phrase *to plead alibi*, then dropped the sentence around it and kept the adverb as a noun — a rare move even for a language as opportunistic as English.
- Proof of being elsewhere. *A watertight alibi.*
- An excuse. *He always has an alibi.*
- Alibi (verb) — to provide an alibi for. *She alibied her brother.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Singular | alibi | A solid alibi. |
| Plural | alibis | Conflicting alibis. |
| Verb | alibi | He alibied for her. |
| Related | excuse | A poor excuse. |
| Related | testimony | Sworn testimony. |
How it is used in a sentence
- Both suspects had alibis.Legal sense.
- He offered the usual alibis.Weakened sense: excuses.
- Her alibi was confirmed by CCTV.Evidence supporting it.
Latin adverbs in English
- alibi — elsewhere
- alias — otherwise, at another time
- ibid. — in the same place
- et cetera — and the rest
- vice versa — the position being reversed
From Latin *alibi*, elsewhere, from *alius*, other. The legal use dates from the eighteenth century, the loose sense of excuse from the twentieth.
Alibi or excuse?
Strictly an alibi is evidence of being elsewhere. Using it to mean any excuse is common but weakens the legal sense.
Are alias and alibi related?
Yes. Both come from Latin *alius*, other. Alias means otherwise called, alibi means in another place.