justification
UK: ˌdʒʌstɪfɪˈkeɪʃən | US: ˌdʒʌstɪfɪˈkeɪʃən
n. the act of justifying or proving something to be right or reasonable
n. a reason or explanation that justifies an action or belief
n. (theology) the act of being declared righteous in the sight of God
The word "justification" traces back to Latin justificatio, from justificare ("to make right"), combining justus (just, fair) and facere (to make). The morpheme "just" preserves its core meaning of fairness, while "-ify" (from Latin -ificare) signifies causation ("to make"). The suffix "-cation" (Latin -catio) forms abstract nouns indicating an action or process. Over time, the term evolved in both legal and theological contexts to denote proving validity or righteousness.
The lawyer provided strong justification for the defendant's actions.
Her justification for missing the meeting was deemed unacceptable.
In theology, justification by faith is a central doctrine.
The report lacked scientific justification for its conclusions.
He demanded justification for the sudden policy change.