What does aforesaid mean?
Aforesaid is a formal adjective meaning 'previously mentioned' — it points back to something already named or described, most often within a legal document. In a contract, statute, or deed, phrases such as 'the aforesaid premises' or 'the aforesaid sum of £5,000' allow the drafter to refer to an earlier item without restating its full description, keeping the text precise and unambiguous. The word derives from Middle English, combining 'afore' (before) with 'said', and has been a fixture of legal English for centuries. Because of this association, aforesaid carries a distinctly officious, lawyerly connotation; in ordinary conversation or informal writing it would seem archaic or affected, and even in modern prose many style guides discourage it in favour of clearer phrasing. Nonetheless, it remains indispensable in legal drafting, where brevity and exact cross-reference matter more than conversational ease.
adjectiveDenoting something previously mentioned or referred to, especially in a legal or formal document. Used chiefly in legal and official writing to avoid repeating an earlier reference.
- Referring to something previously mentioned or specified, especially in legal or formal documents.
"The tenant shall be responsible for all repairs to the aforesaid premises during the term of the lease."
"The court found that the defendant had breached the aforesaid contract."
"In his memoir, he returned again and again to the aforesaid summer in Lisbon."
Lawyers have been saying 'the aforesaid' for centuries — and it's one of the few English words whose main job is simply to point backwards at something already said.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of aforesaid
Aforesaid comes from Middle English, formed from 'afore' — an adverb meaning 'before' or 'in front of', itself from Old English 'onforan' — combined with the past participle 'said'. It emerged as a legal-formal compound, paralleling related formations such as aforementioned and aforenamed. Its use has been continuous in English legal writing since the medieval period, making it one of the older surviving terms of art in common-law drafting.
How aforesaid is actually used
Aforesaid belongs firmly to formal register — it is standard in legal drafting (contracts, statutes, wills) but can sound stilted or old-fashioned in everyday prose. Outside legal contexts, writers generally prefer aforementioned or simply repeat the noun. It functions as an attributive adjective, typically preceding the noun it modifies.
Easily confused with aforesaid
Aforementioned is the more common general-purpose synonym for 'previously mentioned', while aforesaid is more strongly associated with legal drafting and contracts.