Corroboration

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Independent confirmation or evidence that supports and strengthens a claim, statement, or finding by providing additional proof from another source
2. Supportive evidence that affirms the validity of a claim, statement, or hypothesis by offering independent verification or additional proof from different sources
3. Verification provided by additional data or evidence that enhances the credibility of an assertion, statement, or conclusion through the appearance of multiple confirming sources

Etymology: "Corroboration" began as a physical metaphor. Its Latin ancestor, "corrōborāre," came from "com-" (an intensifying prefix, here meaning thoroughly) and "rōbor," the word for oak, or more broadly hardwood and strength. To corroborate something was literally to make it strong as oak, the way a timber becomes sturdy when it is seasoned and reinforced. The English word arrived through Middle English "corroboracioun," borrowed from Late Latin "corrōborātiō," meaning "strengthening." For centuries it kept that sense of making something firmer or more vigorous, and it was applied to bodies, health, and arguments alike. The evidential meaning, where a claim is supported by independent confirmations, grew out of the idea of an argument being reinforced by further proof, so that a statement with extra props stood up better under doubt.

Synonyms: confirmation, validation

Antonyms: disconfirmation