Corroborates

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Provides additional evidence or testimony to make a statement or claim more believable
2. Strengthens the truth or accuracy of information by supplying supporting details or proof
3. Supplies extra proof that helps to verify or substantiate a fact or assertion

Etymology: "Corroborates" is the third-person singular form of "corroborate," so it is the verb's present tense in use with "he," "she," or "it." The verb itself traces back to the 1530s, when English borrowed it from the Latin "corrōborātus," meaning "strengthened." That Latin form is the past participle of "corrōborō," "to support or make firm," which combines "con-," meaning "together," with "rōborō," "to strengthen." The deeper root is "rōbur," meaning "strength" or "hardness," and the Romans used it for oak wood, the hardest timber they knew. So the English verb carries a hint of the same idea: to corroborate a claim is to pile on enough solid support that it stands firm, much as a frame is braced together to hold its shape.

Synonyms: confirms, supports, substantiates, validates, affirms

Antonyms: disproves, refutes, contradicts, denies, invalidates