Acquittals

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The act of legally declaring someone not guilty of a crime
2. the formal judgment issued by a court which clears an individual of criminal charges
3. a declaration that one has not committed the alleged offense after judicial proceedings

Etymology: "Acquittals" is the plural of "acquittal," a noun formed in English by adding the suffix "-al" to the verb "acquit." The verb "acquit" traces back to Old French "aquiter," meaning to release from a debt, obligation, or claim, and it is built on the Latin prefix "ad-" and the Latin "quies" and "quietare" family of words for quietness and settling. The idea at the root is of settling an account, which is why the verb can mean both to discharge a duty and to clear someone of blame. The noun ending "-al" comes from Latin "-alis," which passed into Old French as "-el" and then into Middle English as "-al," and it is attached to many verbs to name the act or result of an action. An acquittal, then, is the outcome of having a charge settled and cleared. Because the same "-al" pattern produces words like "denial" and "refusal," it reads as a formation English speakers can build on easily.

Synonyms: exonerations, dismissals, clearing, absolutions, vindications

Antonyms: convictions, sentences, verdicts, guilty verdicts