justification: Meaning and Definition of

jus•ti•fi•ca•tion

1. a reason, fact, circumstance, or explanation that justifies or defends: His insulting you was ample justification for you to leave the party.
2. an act of justifying: The painter's justification of his failure to finish on time didn't impress me.
3. the state of being justified.
4. Also calledthe act of God whereby humankind is made or accounted just, or free from guilt or penalty of sin.
5. the spacing of words and letters within a line of type so that all full lines in a column have even margins both on the left and on the right.