What does averring mean?
Averring is the present participle of the verb 'aver', meaning to assert or declare something to be true with confidence and often formality. The word is most at home in legal contexts — witnesses averring facts under oath, parties averring claims in pleadings — but it also appears in serious prose where a writer wishes to convey emphatic, considered affirmation rather than mere opinion. Its Latin ancestry ties it to truth itself: 'aver' derives from the Latin 'verus' (true), the same root behind 'verify', 'verity', and 'verdict'. Because of this heritage, averring carries an implicit claim of certainty; one avers what one stands behind. It is a relatively rare word today, lending any sentence a distinctly formal, even courtroom-like gravity. For writers seeking a weightier alternative to 'saying' or 'claiming', averring offers precision and force.
verb (present participle and gerund of aver)The act of asserting or affirming something as true, especially in a formal, legal, or emphatic way. Averring is the present participle and gerund form of the verb 'aver'.
- To assert or declare positively, especially in a formal or legal context.
- (Law) To allege as a fact in a pleading or formal declaration.
"In her sworn statement, she was averring that she had never seen the defendant before."
"The witness stood firm, averring that she had told the whole truth."
"Despite repeated questioning, he kept averring his complete innocence."
When you 'aver' something, you're not just saying it — you're swearing to it with a word that shares its DNA with 'verdict' and 'very', all rooted in Latin verus, meaning true.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of averring
Averring comes from the verb 'aver', borrowed into English from Old French 'averer', which derived from the Late Latin 'habere verum' — literally 'to have as true', from Latin 'verus' (true). The word entered English in the late Middle Ages and settled firmly into legal usage, where asserting facts formally remains its core function. It shares its root with 'verify', 'verity', 'verdict', and indeed 'very', which originally meant 'truly'.
Related word forms
How averring is actually used
Formal in register; most common in legal writing and elevated prose. Carries a connotation of confident, sometimes emphatic insistence rather than casual mention.
Easily confused with averring
'Averring' means asserting something as true, while 'erring' means making a mistake; they differ by only two letters but are opposite in spirit.