A notary is a person legallyin a way allowed or required by law authorizedgiven official permission to do a job or act to witnesssee an event happen and confirm it happened signatures, certify documents, and in some cases take sworn statements. In everyday use, the word usually refers to a notary public.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-25. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /ˈnoʊtəri/
Easy pronunciation: NOH-tuh-ree (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress the first syllable.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-25. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Notary Meaning
An official who verifies signatures and documents.
Part of speech: noun
Definition: A person legally authorized to witness signatures, certify documents, and sometimes take sworn statements.
Example: We had to take the contract to a notary before it was valid.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- notary public — Direct synonym for the legal official who performs notarizations.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-25. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Notary Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- notary public
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-25. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Do not confuse notary with notaria or notariat; English uses notary for the official person.
- Notary refers to the official role, not just any witness to a signature.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-25. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does notary mean?
A notary is an official who can witness signatures, certify certain documents, and sometimes administer sworn statements.
What is a synonym for notary?
Notary public is the main synonym used in English.
Is a notary the same as a witness?
Not exactly. A notary can witness signatures, but a notary is a legally authorized official, not just any ordinary witness.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-25. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.