notary
Americannoun
plural
notariesnoun
-
a notary public
-
(formerly) a clerk licensed to prepare legal documents
-
archaic a clerk or secretary
Other Word Forms
- notarial adjective
- notarially adverb
- notaryship noun
Etymology
Origin of notary
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English, from Latin notārius “clerk,” from not(āre) “to mark” ( note ) + -ārius -ary
Explanation
A notary is someone with the legal power to witness signatures, verify documents, and take depositions. A notary — also known as a notary public — is a person who has been licensed by a state to perform a few legal functions. The most common one is to witness signatures. For many types of paperwork, you need a notary to be present as you sign, which makes the paperwork official. Notaries also have the power to verify various types of documents and are allowed to take depositions (statements) in some legal situations.
Vocabulary lists containing notary
"Maus II: And Here My Troubles Began" by Art Spiegelman
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The Mona Lisa Vanishes
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The Voyage of the Frog
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Meyers has been transitioning to mobile notary work because of the declining revenue from fares.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026
“Sometimes, you’re dealing with a notary person who only works on Wednesdays, and takes all of August off,” she said.
From Slate • Feb. 1, 2026
She owns her own mobile notary service, works at a medical office and delivers Amazon packages.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 19, 2025
He religiously went to work every morning dressed in coveralls, Alcantara said, though she only ever knew him to work as a notary.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 25, 2025
She just kept raising her kids, working various jobs as a barber, notary public, chemical mixer at a cement plant, grocery store clerk, limousine driver.
From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
