Basic Details
Word: Alibi
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Proof or a claim that a person was somewhere else when a crime took place; in everyday speech, an excuse.
Synonyms: defence, excuse, explanation
Word origin: Latin alibi, elsewhere.
How to Spell Alibi
Syllables: al - i - bi
Tricky part: Both vowels after the l and the b are i. The final i says eye, as in bye, which tempts students to write aliby, or alibe as in bribe.
Watch out for: alibe, aliby, allibi
Memory tip: Alibi has two i's, like two eyes that saw you somewhere else. Spell it in three tiny beats: al, i, bi.
Usage Examples
Example 1: The suspect's alibi was that he had been at his cousin's wedding all evening.
Example 2: The detective broke the alibi by checking the railway CCTV.
Example 3: Saying the dog ate your homework is not a very good alibi.
Fun Fact
Alibi is one of several Latin words that English courts still use unchanged, such as affidavit, which in Latin means he has declared on oath.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word alibi as used in the sentence:
His alibi was simple: at the time of the robbery he was playing in a chess tournament in Pune.
a) confession
b) defence
c) crime
d) accusation
Show answer
b) defence. An alibi defends the accused by showing he was elsewhere.
Word Cookie
Fill in the missing letters to complete the word:
al_b_
a) e, i
b) i, e
c) i, i
d) i, y
Show answer
c) i, i. The word is Latin and both gaps take an i; there is no y or e in it.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the letters in the sentence to form a meaningful word:
The inspector checked every iilab the suspects offered.
a) libel
b) alibi
c) liable
d) bail
Show answer
b) alibi. Bail has only one i and libel and liable need an e; two i's point to alibi.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. An alibi shows that a suspect was ____.
a) a friend of the victim
b) somewhere else at the time
c) the person who called the police
d) at the scene of the crime
Show answer
b) somewhere else at the time
2. Ravi says, I was at hockey practice at six, and my coach can confirm it. What is Ravi giving?
a) a promise
b) an apology
c) a confession
d) an alibi
Show answer
d) an alibi
