Deposition
noun /ˌdɛp.əˈzɪʃ.ən/ — Sworn out-of-court testimony recorded for use at trial.
Definition
The sworn testimony of a witness taken outside court, typically during the pre-trial discovery process. Both sides' attorneys may question the witness, whose answers are recorded and may be used at trial.
Beyond the definition
A deposition is truth under pressure — the informal setting doesn't reduce the oath's force, and the answers given before trial often matter more than those given at it.
Origin & history
From Latin 'depositio' (a laying down); from 'deponere' (to put down, deposit). The legal sense of 'giving evidence' developed in Medieval Latin.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
Her deposition lasted six hours — question by question, detail by detail, the story assembled by two opposing strategies.
Corporate depositions often reveal more than trials do: the informal setting relaxes executives who say too much.
He read his own deposition transcript and found a stranger — his words stripped of tone, of context.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Deposition” when the meaning fits your context: The sworn testimony of a witness taken outside court, typically during the pre-trial discovery process. Both sides' attorneys may question the witness, whose answers are recorded and may be used at trial.
Synonyms
sworn testimony, pretrial testimony, examination
Related words
Deposition vs testimony
Deposition refers to the specific out-of-court procedure of gathering evidence. Testimony is the broader term for evidence given under oath, which can occur inside or outside a trial.
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Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Clinician Listening To Patient
A clinician listens to an adult patient's chest with a stethoscope in a quiet room, with a model heart and anatomy nearby.
A deposition involves gathering sworn testimony outside of trial. This clinical setting, where information is methodically gathered for analysis, illustrates the focus and procedural nature of obtaining evidence before the formal case begins.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Deposition" mean?
Deposition is noun meaning: Sworn out-of-court testimony recorded for use at trial.. The sworn testimony of a witness taken outside court, typically during the pre-trial discovery process. Both sides' attorneys may question the witness, whose answers are recorded and may be used at trial.
Where does the word "Deposition" come from?
From Latin 'depositio' (a laying down); from 'deponere' (to put down, deposit). The legal sense of 'giving evidence' developed in Medieval Latin.