Definition of ESTOPPEL

estoppel

Plural: estoppels

Noun

  • A legal principle preventing a party from asserting facts contrary to earlier actions.
  • a rule of evidence whereby a person is barred from denying the truth of a fact that has already been settled
  • A legal principle in the law of equity that prevents a party from asserting otherwise valid legal rights against another party because of conduct by the first party, or circumstances to which the first party has knowingly contributed, making it unjust for those rights to be asserted.

Examples

  • The Words With Friends rules contained an implicit ESTOPPEL against certain illegal moves.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English *estoppel (found only as stoppel, stoppell, stopple, etc.), probably from Old French estoupail, estopail, estopaille, a bung made of oakum (étoupe), from Latin stuppa ("flax, tow"), from Ancient Greek στύππη (stuppē).

Scrabble Score: 12

estoppel: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
estoppel: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
estoppel: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 15

estoppel: valid Words With Friends Word