The word “apostille” comes from the French language.
It is a derivative of the Old French word “apostiller,” which meant “to add a note to.”
The modern French word “apostille” means “certification,” or “marginal note.”
It is pronounced “Uh-pos-teal”.
Here’s a bit more detail:
- French origins: The word’s etymology traces back to adding notes or annotations in the margins of documents. These notes often served to authenticate or certify the document in some way.
- Modern legal meaning: In the context of international law, and specifically the Hague Apostille Convention, “apostille” refers to the standardised certificate that is attached to a document to verify the signature, seal, or stamp of a public official. This certificate makes the document acceptable for legal purposes in other countries that are party to the Convention.
- Not a verb: Although its origins are verb-like (“to add a note”), in modern legal usage, “apostille” is primarily used as a noun – referring to the certificate itself. You would say “I need an apostille” or “The document has an apostille,” not usually “I need to apostille this document” (although “apostille” as a verb is becoming increasingly common in informal usage). Grammatically correct usage is still “to have a document legalised by apostille.”
The word “apostille” comes from French and essentially means “certification.” In international law, the term refers to the specific certificate used to authenticate public documents for use in other countries under the Hague Apostille Convention.
