Warrant
/ˈwɒr.ənt/noun
An official authorization or a legal order commanding action.
Did you know?Its deeper ancestry is tied to the same Germanic root as words for protection and guarantee, which is why a warrant originally meant a promise that something was secured, not just a legal document.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*warjaną
“to protect, defend”
Old North French
ONF
warant / garant
“one who assures or guarantees”
Anglo-French
AF
warant
“a guarantor, protector; authorization”
Middle English
ME
warrant
“authorization, guarantee, legal protection”
Modern English
English
warrant
“an official authorization or legal order”