justification

C1 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˌdʒʌstəfəˈkeɪʃən/ UK /ˌd͡ʒʌstɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/ See IPA manual

Freq #18216

Meanings

1

noun
A good reason or explanation that makes an action or belief seem acceptable.

There is no justification for treating people so cruelly.
2

noun
The way text is lined up along the left margin, the right margin, or both.

She changed the paragraph to full justification.

Thesaurus

Opposites

condemnation conviction

Word family

Forms justifications

Derived forms justificationaljustificationismjustificationistoverjustificationrejustificationself-justification

Related forms acquittal exculpation justifywarrantednessworthwhileness

Etymology

From Middle English justificacioun, justification, from Middle French justification, from Late Latin iustificationem, justificationem < iustificatio, from iustifico, from Latin iustus.

*dʰeh₁- Proto-Indo-European justificacioun Middle English justification Middle French iustificationem la-lat iustus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# justification

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˌdʒʌstəfəˈkeɪʃən/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌd͡ʒʌstɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/
**Frequency rank:** 18216

## Meanings
1. A good reason or explanation that makes an action or belief seem acceptable.
2. The way text is lined up along the left margin, the right margin, or both.

## Examples
- There is no justification for treating people so cruelly.
- She changed the paragraph to full justification.

## Antonyms
- condemnation
- conviction

## Derived Forms
- justificational
- justificationism
- justificationist
- overjustification
- rejustification
- self-justification

## Related Forms
- acquittal
- exculpation
- justify
- warrantedness
- worthwhileness

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *dʰeh₁-
- Root: justificacioun
- Root: justification
- Root: iustificationem
- Root: iustus

## Etymology
From Middle English justificacioun, justification, from Middle French justification, from Late Latin iustificationem, justificationem < iustificatio, from iustifico, from Latin iustus.

## AI Etymology
Justification comes from Middle English justificacioun, justification, from Middle French justification, from Late Latin iustificationem, justificationem < iustificatio, from iustifico, from Latin iustus. The historical chain includes *dʰeh₁- (Proto-Indo-European), justificacioun (Middle English), justification (Middle French), iustificationem (Late Latin), and iustus (Latin). The surrounding word family includes derived forms such as justificational, justificationism, justificationist, and overjustification and related forms such as acquittal, exculpation, and justify. In present use it covers a good reason or explanation that makes an action or belief seem acceptable and the way text is lined up along the left margin, the right margin, or both.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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