Suborn

 WORD OF THE DAY

suborn / verb / suh-BORN

Definition
1: to induce secretly to do an unlawful thing
2: to induce to commit perjury
3: to obtain (perjured testimony) from a witness

Examples
"Because suborning perjury is not a mistake, nor is suppressing evidence. These acts are intentional."
— Melinda Henneberger, The Kansas City Star, 13 Nov. 2020

Combined with countries that have only limited enforcement, 51.9% of global exports come from countries that allow their companies to suborn foreign officials.
— Tom Saler, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 14 Feb. 2020

Did You Know?
Suborn is from Latin subornare, which translates literally as "to secretly furnish or equip."
The sub- that brings the "secretly" meaning to subornare more commonly means "under" or "below," but it has its stealthy meaning in the etymologies of several other English words, including surreptitious (from sub- and rapere, meaning "to seize") and the verb suspect (from sub- or sus- and specere, meaning "to look at").
The ornare (meaning "to furnish") of subornare is also at work in the words ornate, adorn, and ornament.