Affirmare

Affirmare is a Latin verb of the first conjugation meaning to declare, assert, or confirm. In classical Latin it is used to state that something is true, to maintain a proposition, or to affirm a fact or claim. The verb is active and transitive, typically taking a direct object or a subordinate clause expressing the content of the affirmation.

Etymology and morphology: Affirmāre is formed from the root firm- meaning to make firm, with the assimilated prefix ad-, yielding an intensifying sense of making claim. The principal parts are affirmō, affirmāre, affirmāvī, affirmātum, indicating a regular 1st-conjugation verb. It has standard active and passive forms and can govern direct objects or clauses (such as ut- or quod- clauses) that report what is being affirmed.

Usage and legacy: In English, affirm is derived from Latin affirmāre, via Old French affirmer. In modern Romance languages, the corresponding verb often appears with minor spelling differences, for example affermare in Italian. Latin affirmāre appears in a wide range of texts, from classical authors to late Latin rhetorical and legal writings, where it expresses assertion, confirmation, or assertion of truth.