uneidliche

Uneidliche is a German adjective meaning unsworn or not given under oath. It is primarily used in legal or historical texts to describe statements, declarations, or documents that have not been made under oath.

Etymology-wise, uneidliche derives from the noun Eid (oath) and the suffix -lich, with the prefix un- negating the sense of an oath. The form is relatively rare and is often considered archaic or stylistically marked, appearing mainly in formal registers or older writings.

Usage is largely confined to contexts where the contrast to sworn testimony is meaningful. In modern German, the opposite term is eidesstattlich, as in eidesstattliche Versicherung, meaning a sworn affidavit. The term uneidlich often appears in phrases such as uneidliche Versicherung or uneidliche Falschaussage, though in everyday language speakers are more likely to use explicit descriptions like “unsworn” or “nicht eidesstattlich.” The legal weight of unsworn statements is generally different from that of sworn affidavits, a distinction that is reflected in how the terms are used.

Examples of translation include uneidliche Versicherung as “unsworn declaration” and uneidliche Falschaussage as “unsworn false statement.” Because the term is uncommon today, it may be encountered mainly in historical documents, translations, or specialist legal texts.

See also: eidesstattlich, eidesstattliche Versicherung, Falschaussage, unsworn.