GC: n
S: LII (last access: 15 November 2025); ContHound (last access: 15 November 2025).
N: 1. “act of pardoning a wrong act,” 1620s, from Latin condonationem (nominative condonatio) “a giving away,” noun of action from past-participle stem of condonare “to give up, remit, permit,” from assimilated form of com-, here perhaps an intensive prefix (see con-), + donare “give as a gift” (from donum “gift,” from PIE root *do- “to give”).
Condonation is the remission of a matrimonial offence known to the remitting party to have been committed by the other; on the condition subsequent that ever afterward the party remitting shall be treated by the other with conjugal kindness. [Joel Prentiss Bishop, “Commentaries on the Law of Marriage and Divorce,” 1864].
- The earliest known use of the noun condonation is in the early 1600s.
- OED’s earliest evidence for condonation is from 1615, in the writing of Thomas Jackson, Church of England clergyman.
- Implied pardon of an offense by treating the offender as if it had not been committed.
- Medieval Latin condonatio remission, pardon, from Latin condonare to give away, absolve.
- voluntary overlooking or pardon of an offense.
specifically : express or implied and usually conditional forgiveness of a spouse’s marital wrong (as adultery or cruelty).
2. Economics, Finance, and Law: Condonation is the act of forgiving, excusing, or overlooking a breach or failure to perform as per the terms of a contract. In legal terms, condonation signifies the intentional overlooking or pardoning of an act that would otherwise constitute a breach of contract. It carries the implication that the party entitled to enforce the contract has chosen not to act on their right to claim the breach.
3. Loans; Economic Co-operation and Development; Law of Obligations (civil law): remission of a debt, debt remission, forgiveness of a debt, debt forgiveness, remittal of a debt, release of debt, condonation of a debt, cancellation of a debt, debt cancellation.
- debt forgiveness: term used by Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).
4. Depending on field and context, the Spanish terms quita and condonación are respectively translated into English as debt relief, creditor haircut, debt write-down, discharge, acquittance, partial acquittance; material forgiveness, debt cancellation, debt write-off, discharge, discharge of debt, discharge from debt, debt forgiveness, forgiveness, condoning, pardoning, forgiving, remitent, exemption, relief. However and stricto sensu, the Spanish terms quita, condonación and cancelación de deuda are not exactly the same.
S: 1. Etymonline (last access: 15 November 2025); OED (last access: 15 November 2025); MW (last access: 15 November 2025). 2. ContHound (last access: 15 November 2025). 3. TERMIUM PLUS (last access: 15 November 2025). 4. IATE (last access: 15 November 2025); DBEE, p. 560.
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