justification
Pluraljustifications
- 1A reason, explanation, or excuse that someone believes gives convincing, morally acceptable support for an action, belief, or event.
The committee demanded a clear justification for the sudden budget increase.
There is no possible justification for treating loyal workers so harshly.
Similarreason, rationale, explanation, excuse, grounds
Note
The everyday sense, and the only countable one: a justification, several justifications, usually a justification for something. The word reached English through Middle English justificacioun and Middle French, from Late Latin iustificatio, built on Latin iustus, "just". That root still shows. A justification argues that an action was right, not merely understandable. The theological and typographic senses take no plural.
- 2The alignment of text to the left margin, the right margin, or both margins on a page.
The designer chose left justification to keep the spacing between words even.
Full justification can leave awkward gaps when the columns are narrow.
Similaralignment
Note
A typesetter's word that comes with its own qualifiers: left justification, right justification, and full justification, which gives flush edges on both sides. It is achieved by adjusting the spacing between words, and sometimes between letters, so that each line meets the margin. Unlike the everyday sense, nothing is being defended here. What is set right is the edge of the column.
- 3In Christian doctrine, the forgiveness of a person's sins by God, by which the sinner is accepted as righteous.
The reformers taught that justification is a free gift, not a reward for good deeds.
Paul's letters describe justification as the believer's reconciliation with God.
Note
Theology keeps the word close to its Latin root: the sinner is accounted righteous, made just before God. Its fixed phrasing is justification by faith, or more fully by God's grace through faith in Christ, as the 1999 Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification puts it. Whether it comes by faith alone or together with works has long divided Protestant and Catholic traditions.
Practice
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Origin
This word comes through Middle English and Middle French from Late Latin iustificatio (from iustifico), which is built on the Latin word iustus meaning 'just'.