Notary public

//ˈnəʊtəɹi ˈpʌblɪk// noun

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    An officer who can administer oaths and statutory declarations, witness and authenticate documents and perform certain other acts varying from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.
  2. 2
    someone legally empowered to witness signatures and certify a document's validity and to take depositions wordnet

Etymology

Anglo-Norman/Law French, on model of notaire publique, hence the unusual order of adjective following noun, instead of idiomatic English *public notary. Compare attorney general, court martial, fee simple, secretary general, surgeon general.

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