controfirmare

to countersign

verb kohn-troh-feer-MAH-reh Rare

Usage Note

Controfirmare means to add a second signature to validate a document — typically a minister countersigning a presidential decree or a witness countersigning a contract. It is a formal administrative and legal term; the noun is controfirma. Conjugates regularly like amare.

Examples

"Il ministro deve controfirmare il decreto."

Natural Translation

The minister must countersign the decree.

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