In law, a positive assertion or declaration made without proof, especially in legal pleading or court documents.
From Old French averer (to affirm) plus -ment (noun suffix). Related to Latin ad- (to) + verus (true). The legal sense developed in medieval English courts when formal assertions became important for legal proceedings.
In law, there's a difference between swearing under oath (which requires proof if challenged) and making an 'averment'—you're saying 'I declare this true!' but sometimes without the burden of proof. Courts had to develop this vocabulary to handle different levels of sworn statements.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.