Surety - Definition - Law Dictionary Home Dictionary Definition surety

surety

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pl: -ties
[Anglo-French seurté, literally, guarantee, security, from Old French, from Latin securitat- securitas, from securus secure]
1 : a formal engagement (as a pledge) given for the fulfillment of an undertaking
2 : one (as an accommodation party) who promises to answer for the debt or default of another NOTE: At common law a surety is distinguished from a guarantor by being immediately liable as opposed to becoming liable only upon default of the principal. Under the Uniform Commercial Code, however, a surety includes a guarantor, and the two terms are generally interchangeable.