First Known Use: 15th century
Dictionary
notary public
noun no·ta·ry public \ˈnō-tə-rē-\
law : a person who has the authority to act as an official witness when legal documents are signed
plural notaries public or notary publics
Full Definition of NOTARY PUBLIC
: a public officer who attests or certifies writings (as a deed) to make them authentic and takes affidavits, depositions, and protests of negotiable paper —called also notary
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Origin of NOTARY PUBLIC
Middle English notary clerk, notary public, from Latin notarius clerk, secretary, from notarius of shorthand, from nota note, shorthand character
NOTARY PUBLIC Defined for Kids
notary public
noun no·ta·ry public \ˈnō-tə-rē-\
plural notaries public or notary publics
Definition of NOTARY PUBLIC for Kids
: a public official who witnesses the making of a document (as a will) and signs it to show that it is authentic
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