NOTARY PUBLIC

[no.ta.ry public] n, pl notaries public or notary publics [ME notary clerk, notary public, fr. L notarius clerk, secretary, fr. notarius of shorthand, fr. nota note, shorthand character] (15c): a public officer who attests or certifies writings (as a deed) to make them authentic and takes affidavits, depositions, and protests of negotiable paper--called also notary