The word 'amnesty' entered English in the late 16th century via French and Late Latin, ultimately deriving from the Greek 'ἀμνηστία', meaning 'forgetfulness' or 'pardon'. It combines the Greek roots 'a-' (without) and 'mnēs-' (to remember), reflecting the concept of forgetting offenses as part of a pardon.
An official pardon for people who have been convicted of political offenses.
Borrowed from French 'amnistie', from Late Latin 'amnestia', from Greek 'ἀμνηστία' (amnestía), meaning 'forgetfulness' or 'pardon'. Key roots: μνησ- (mnēs-) (Greek: "to remember"), ἀ- (a-) (Greek: "not, without").
The Greek root 'ἀμνηστία' literally means 'forgetfulness', which reflects the idea of 'forgetting' offenses in granting a pardon.