What does amnesty mean?

Definitions for amnesty
ˈæm nə stiamnesty

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word amnesty.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. amnestynoun

    a period during which offenders are exempt from punishment

  2. pardon, amnestynoun

    a warrant granting release from punishment for an offense

  3. amnesty, pardon, free pardonverb

    the formal act of liberating someone

  4. amnestyverb

    grant a pardon to (a group of people)

Wiktionary

  1. amnestynoun

    Forgetfulness; cessation of remembrance of wrong; oblivion.

  2. amnestynoun

    An act of the sovereign power granting oblivion, or a general pardon, for a past offense, as to subjects concerned in an insurrection.

  3. amnestyverb

    To grant a pardon (to a group)

  4. Etymology: From amnestie (French amnistie), from amnestia, from ἀμνηστία, from ἀ- + μνήμη (remembrance, reminiscence).

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. Amnestynoun

    An act of oblivion; an act by which crimes against the government, to a certain time, are so obliterated, that they can never be brought into charge.

    Etymology: ἀμνηστία.

    I never read of a law enacted to take away the force of all laws, by which a man may safely commit upon the last of June, what he would infallibly be hanged for, if he committed it on the first of July; by which the greatest criminals may escape, provided they continue long enough in power, to antiquate their crimes, and, by stifling them a while, deceive the legislature into an amnesty. Jonathan Swift.

ChatGPT

  1. amnesty

    Amnesty is an official pardon or forgiveness granted by a government or authority for people who have been convicted of certain crimes, often political ones. It involves overlooking an offense without penalty and is typically given to a group of individuals.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Amnesty

    forgetfulness; cessation of remembrance of wrong; oblivion

  2. Amnesty

    an act of the sovereign power granting oblivion, or a general pardon, for a past offense, as to subjects concerned in an insurrection

  3. Amnestyverb

    to grant amnesty to

  4. Etymology: [L. amnestia, Gr. 'amnhsti`a, a forgetting, fr. 'a`mnhstos forgotten, forgetful; 'a priv. + mna^sqai to remember: cf. F. amnistie, earlier amnestie. See Mean, v.]

Wikidata

  1. Amnesty

    Amnesty is defined as: "A pardon extended by the government to a group or class of persons, usually for a political offense; the act of a sovereign power officially forgiving certain classes of persons who are subject to trial but have not yet been convicted" It includes more than pardon, in as much as it obliterates all legal remembrance of the offense. The word has the same root as amnesia. Amnesty is more and more used to express 'freedom' and the time when prisoners can go free. Amnesties, which in the United Kingdom may be granted by the crown or by an act of Parliament, were formerly usual on coronations and similar occasions, but are chiefly exercised towards associations of political criminals, and are sometimes granted absolutely, though more frequently there are certain specified exceptions. Thus, in the case of the earliest recorded amnesty, that of Thrasybulus at Athens, the thirty tyrants and a few others were expressly excluded from its operation; and the amnesty proclaimed on the restoration of Charles II of England did not extend to those who had taken part in the execution of his father. Other famous amnesties include: Napoleon's amnesty of March 13, 1815 from which thirteen eminent persons, including Talleyrand, were exempt; the Prussian amnesty of August 10, 1840; the general amnesty proclaimed by the emperor Franz Josef I of Austria in 1857; the general amnesty granted by President of the United States, Andrew Johnson, after the American Civil War (1861-April 9, 1865), in 1868, and the French amnesty of 1905. Amnesty in U.S. politics in 1872 meant restoring the right to vote and hold office to ex-Confederates, which was achieved by act of Congress. Those were true amnesties, pardoning past violations without changing the laws violated.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Amnesty

    am′nest-i, n. a general pardon of political offenders: an act of oblivion.—v.t. to give amnesty to. [Gr. a-mnestos, not remembered.]

Dictionary of Nautical Terms

  1. amnesty

    An act of oblivion, by which, in a professional view, pardon is granted to those who have rebelled or deserted their colours; also to deserters who return to their ships.

Military Dictionary and Gazetteer

  1. amnesty

    An act by which two belligerent powers at variance agree to bury past differences in oblivion; forgiveness of past offenses.

Editors Contribution

  1. amnesty

    A pardon granted by a form of unity assembly, unity council, unity legislature, unity senate, unity house of representatives, unity government, local unity government, regional unity government, national unity government, european unity government and international unity government to a person or group of people to ensure the creation of peace, unity, justness, fairness, human rights, right to life, evolution or other just forward movement in the universes truth and the collective plan for the evolution of humanity.

    Amnesty is important in each country of the world to ensure the creation of peace, unity, understanding, peace agreements and forward movement for a country and the world.


    Submitted by MaryC on August 3, 2020  


  2. amnesty

    To grant a pardon for a specific reason using data, facts, information, proof and statistics.

    Amnesty is so important within society to ensure collective accountability and the human desire to move forward, evolve and create unity and peace.


    Submitted by MaryC on August 3, 2020  

Matched Categories

British National Corpus

  1. Nouns Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'amnesty' in Nouns Frequency: #2789

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

How to pronounce amnesty?

How to say amnesty in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of amnesty in Chaldean Numerology is: 5

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of amnesty in Pythagorean Numerology is: 7

Examples of amnesty in a Sentence

  1. Jessica Vaughn:

    They don’t know the details of the U.S. programs and the law; they just hear that there is going to be amnesty.

  2. Marco Rubio:

    There are many issues I think we can work cooperatively with President-elect Biden, but a blanket amnesty for people who are here unlawfully isn’t going to be one of them.

  3. Barack Obama:

    Amnesty is the immigration system we have today, millions of people who live here without paying their taxes or playing by the rules.

  4. Marco Rubio:

    There are many issues I think we can work cooperatively with President-elect President Biden, but a blanket amnesty for people who are here unlawfully is n’t going to be one of them.

  5. The Texas senator:

    Back in 2013, the Rubio campaign believed it would benefit them politically if they broke their promises to the Florida voters and pushed amnesty, remember, that was back when Senator Rubio was on the cover of Time magazine named 'The Savior.' Well, they're regretting that decision now.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

amnesty#10000#13192#100000

Translations for amnesty

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"amnesty." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 21 Nov. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/amnesty>.

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