alibi

1 of 2

noun

al·​i·​bi ˈa-lə-ˌbī 

1

: the plea of having been at the time of the commission of an act elsewhere than at the place of commission

His alibi was that he was at the movies at the time of the crime.

also : the fact or state of having been elsewhere at the time

2

: an excuse usually intended to avert blame or punishment (as for failure or negligence)

made up an alibi for why she missed the meeting

3

: someone or something that provides a person with an alibi

His wife was his alibi.

alibi

2 of 2

verb

alibied; alibiing

transitive verb

: to exonerate (someone) by an alibi : to furnish an excuse for

… took statements from anyone not alibied.

—Joseph Wambaugh

intransitive verb

: to offer an excuse

Did you know?

In Latin, alibi was an adverb that meant “elsewhere.” When the word was first adopted into English in the 18th century, it was still limited to its adverbial use. A person on trial might be said to prove himself alibi when the crime was committed. By the end of that century, however, alibi had acquired the status of a noun and was used in legal contexts for “the plea of having been elsewhere at the time of the crime.” The meaning of the word was then extended to apply to the fact or state of having been elsewhere when a crime was committed.

Synonyms

Noun

• apology
• defense
• excuse
• justification
• plea
• reason

Choose the Right Synonym for alibi

apology, apologia, excuse, plea, pretext, alibi mean matter offered in explanation or defense.

apology usually applies to an expression of regret for a mistake or wrong with implied admission of guilt or fault and with or without reference to mitigating or extenuating circumstances.

said by way of apology that he would have met them if he could

apologia implies not admission of guilt or regret but a desire to make clear the grounds for some course, belief, or position.

his speech was an apologia for his foreign policy

excuse implies an intent to avoid or remove blame or censure.

used illness as an excuse for missing the meeting

plea stresses argument or appeal for understanding or sympathy or mercy.

her usual plea that she was nearsighted

pretext suggests subterfuge and the offering of false reasons or motives in excuse or explanation.

used any pretext to get out of work

alibi implies a desire to shift blame or evade punishment and imputes mere plausibility to the explanation.

his alibi failed to stand scrutiny

Examples of alibi in a Sentence

Noun

Nobody could confirm his alibi that he was at the movies.

Her doctor is her alibi: she was in surgery at the time of the murder.

She made up an alibi for why she missed the meeting.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Damaged gilds the lily, casting-wise, with John Hannah, delivering sterling supporting work as a chief suspect whose alibi would seem to clear him. —Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Apr. 2024

Lumumba spent just weeks in jail after his alibi was established. —Patrick Smith, NBC News, 10 Apr. 2024

Police and the prosecution were convinced Troconis had helped plan an alibi, including that call Troconis picked up on Fotis Dulos' phone. —Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 6 Apr. 2024

Attorneys say Autry's truthful testimony also provides the necessary alibi for Adams, WREG reported. —CBS News, 28 Feb. 2024

Coleman needed an alibi and probably didn’t realize the store had cameras. —Harriet Ryan, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2024

The effort may end up providing a convenient alibi for maintaining U.S. global primacy in full and giving up on prioritizing altogether. —Stephen Wertheim, Foreign Affairs, 14 Feb. 2024

His clearest path seemed to be shoring up his alibi. —Harriet Ryan, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2024

Prosecutors in Harris County, where Houston is located, ultimately dropped charges after learning of Murphy’s alibi, said one of his attorneys, Daniel Dutko. —Drew Harwell, Washington Post, 22 Jan. 2024

Verb

When faced with having to alibi to their spouses, Fiona and Bob, unbeknown to each other, involve a young couple, William and Mary Featherstone (Benjamin Cole and Noelle Marion). —David Coddon, sandiegouniontribune.com, 15 Apr. 2018

In 1992, Bill Clinton felt compelled to alibi his youthful encounter with marijuana. —Mark Z. Barabak, latimes.com, 24 Oct. 2017

Word History

Etymology

Noun

borrowed from Latin alibī "in another place, elsewhere," from alius "other" + -bī, locative suffix (as also in ibi, ibī "in that place, there," ubi, ubī "where?"), going back to Indo-European *-d^he (also in Oscan puf "where?," Umbrian pufe, Old Church Slavic kŭde, Sanskrit kúha, all going back to *k^wu-d^he) + a particle *-i — more at else

Verb

derivative of alibi entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1731, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1909, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing alibi

• alibi witness

Kids Definition

alibi

1 of 2 noun

al·​i·​bi ˈal-ə-ˌbī 

plural alibis

-ˌbīz

1

: the plea made by a person accused of a crime of having been at another place when the crime occurred

2

: an excuse intended to avoid blame

alibi

2 of 2 verb

alibied; alibiing

1

: to make an excuse for

2

: to offer an excuse

tried to alibi for showing up late

Etymology

Noun

from Latin alibi "elsewhere"

Legal Definition

alibi

noun

al·​i·​bi

: a defense of having been somewhere other than at the scene of a crime at the time the crime was committed

also : the fact or state of having been elsewhere at the time a crime was committed

Note: Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 12.1 requires the defendant to provide notice upon written demand of an intention to offer a defense of alibi. The prosecution must provide to the defendant the names of witnesses that will be used to rebut it.

Etymology

Noun

Latin, elsewhere, from alius other