deponer

to depose, to remove from power

verb deh-poh-NEHR Rare

Origin: From Latin deponere (to put down, set aside).

Also means

to lay down (arms), to testify

Usage Note

Deponer is an irregular verb conjugated like poner (depongo, depones…). Its most common modern sense is to remove a leader from power (deponer al presidente). In legal language it means to testify or make a sworn statement. A third sense, deponer las armas (to lay down arms), appears in formal or literary contexts.

Examples

"Los militares decidieron deponer al gobierno elegido."

Natural Translation

The military decided to depose the elected government.

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