Pronounced: BON-uh-face (alt: BON-uh-fiss), noun
Notes: Maybe you know this word; I did not (depends on what you read, I think)
Yesterday’s word
The word depose means
- to remove from a high office or throne suddenly and forcefully
- to examine under oath
- to give testimony
First usage
The word goes back to around 1300
Background / Comments
I knew of the first definition; and I think for most people that it is the one that they know. The other definitions are probably used more in the legal realm, and the phrase take a deposition (using the noun form of depose) is one I’ve read in the Perry Mason stories. However, even with this aid, these other definitions were not ready in my mind. The word comes from the Old French word deposer, which comes from Latin deponere (to testify, to put down), which is made up of de- combined with ponere (to put).
Richard's Vocabulary Word-of-the-Day 