amnesty
amnesty Lexical Profile
amnesty Game Scores & Validity
• noun
An official pardon granted by a government or authority to a group of people who have committed political offenses or other violations of the law.
"The newly elected government declared a general amnesty for all political prisoners."
A specified period during which people can admit to an offense, pay overdue fees, or surrender prohibited items without facing penalties or prosecution.
"The public library announced a two-week amnesty during which patrons could return overdue books without paying fines."
• verb
To grant an official pardon to (an offender or group of offenders).
"The administration decided to amnesty thousands of citizens who had peacefully protested the previous regime."
Word Nuance & Usage
While 'pardon' typically forgives a specific individual after a conviction, 'amnesty' is usually granted to a whole group or class of people, often before any trial takes place.
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the late 16th century via French and Latin from Ancient Greek 'amnestia' ('forgetfulness, oblivion'), formed from the privative prefix 'a-' ('not') and 'mnestis' ('remembrance'), sharing the same Greek root as 'amnesia'.