(law) a voluntary repudiation of a person's legal claim to something
"The judge ruled that the defendant's signed disclaimer effectively severed his legal claim to the disputed property."
denial of any connection with or knowledge of
"At the end of his viral video, the influencer added a quick disclaimer stating he had no connection to the company selling those shoes."
One who disclaims, disowns, or renounces.
"The heir was declared a disclaimer after he formally renounced his inheritance to avoid future debts."
In plain English: A disclaimer is a statement that says someone is not responsible for something.
"The website included a disclaimer stating that the information provided was not professional legal advice."
Usage: Use "disclaimer" to mean a formal statement denying responsibility or ownership, not a person who rejects something. It refers to the written notice itself, such as the text at the bottom of a website, rather than the individual making the denial.
To disclaim or disavow, as by appending a legal disclaimer.
"Before reading the article, I noticed a small disclaimer at the bottom stating that none of the medical advice should be taken as professional guidance."
In plain English: To say that you are not responsible for something.
"The lawyer disclaimed any responsibility for the errors in the report."
Usage: Do not use the word "disclaimer" as a verb to mean denying something you said; instead, reserve it for formal contexts where someone legally renounces rights or denies responsibility. In everyday conversation, simply state that you are disavowing an idea rather than using this awkward and incorrect phrasing.
The word entered English through a blend of the Middle French term desclamer, meaning "to deny or refute," and the later addition of the agent suffix -er. While its roots involve denying something, the modern usage evolved to specifically refer to a formal statement disavowing responsibility or liability.