alleged

adjective

1. declared or stated to be as described; asserted: The alleged murderer could not be located for questioning.
2. doubtful; suspect; supposed: The alleged cure-all produced no results when it was tested by reputable doctors.

verb (used with object), al·leged, al·leg·ing.

1. to assert without proof.
2. to declare with positiveness; affirm; assert: to allege a fact.
3. to declare before a court or elsewhere, as if under oath.
4. to plead in support of; offer as a reason or excuse.
5. Archaic. to cite or quote in confirmation.

adjective (prenominal)

1. stated or described to be such; presumedthe alleged murderer
2. dubiousan alleged miracle

verb (tr; may take a clause as object)

1. to declare in or as if in a court of law; state without or before proofhe alleged malpractice
2. to put forward (an argument or plea) for or against an accusation, claim, etc
3. archaic to cite or quote, as to confirm

adj.

mid-15c., “quoted,” past participle adjective from allege. Attested from 1610s in sense of “brought forth in court;” 1670s as “asserted but not proved.”

v.

c.1300. It has the form of one French verb and the meaning of another. The form is Anglo-French aleger, Old French eslegier “to clear at law,” from Latin ex- “out of” (see ex-) and litigare “bring suit” (see litigate); however eslegier meant “acquit, clear of charges in a lawsuit.” It somehow acquired the meaning of French alléguer, from Latin allegare “send for, bring forth, name, produce in evidence,” from ad- “to” (see ad-) + legare “to depute, send” (see legate). Related: Alleged; alleging.