Definition of suborn
transitive verb
1 : to induce secretly to do an unlawful thing
2 : to induce to commit perjury; also : to obtain (perjured testimony) from a witness
suborner
nounExplore M-W
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Examples of suborn in a Sentence
He's accused of suborning a witness.
Did You Know?
The Latin word that gave us suborn in the early part of the 16th century is subornare, which translates literally as "to secretly furnish or equip." The sub- that brings the "secretly" meaning to subornare more commonly means "under" or "below," but it has its stealthy denotation in the etymologies of several other English words, including surreptitious (from sub- and rapere, meaning "to seize") and the verb suspect (from sub- or sus- and specere, meaning "to look at"). The ornare of subornare is also at work in the words ornate, adorn, and ornament.
Origin and Etymology of suborn
Middle French suborner, from Latin subornare, from sub- secretly + ornare to furnish, equip — more at ornate
First Known Use: 1534
Other Legal Terms
SUBORN Defined for English Language Learners
suborn
playDefinition of suborn for English Language Learners
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: to persuade (someone) to do something illegal (such as to lie in a court of law)
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: to get (false testimony) from a witness
Law Dictionary
suborn
playLegal Definition of suborn
1 : to induce or procure to commit an unlawful act and especially perjury an attempt to suborn a witness
2 : to induce (perjury) or obtain (perjured testimony) from a witness an attorney and his client were jointly charged with suborning perjury and perjury, respectively — W. R. LaFave and J. H. Israel
suborner
nounOrigin and Etymology of suborn
Latin subornare, from sub- secretly + ornare to prepare, equip
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