Are you looking for a way to tell someone that you generally agree, but there's something that should be aware of? The word "caveat" could fit the bill. Discover what caveat means, where the word originated, and how to use it below.
Meaning
The English noun caveat, which comes from the Latin language, means "a warning", "a caution", or "something to be aware of".
It is pronounced "ca-vee-at" — in which "ca" makes the same sound as "cat", but without the "T", "vee" rhymes with "bee", and "at" rhymes with "bat".
In practice, the noun caveat is almost always used to point to an exception to a rule or a detail it is important to be familiar with.
In legal terminology a caveat refers to a caution to prevent legal action from proceeding until the opposing side has a hearing.
Example Usage
Take a look at these example sentences that illustrate the meaning of caveat to better understand how the word is used in practice:
- "I'll agree to let you stay at my vacation home this year, son, with the caveat that you leave it in the condition you found it in." (In this case, caveat indicates general agreement, conditional on certain conditions being met — therefore pointing to an exception.)
- "Let what happened to Tom serve as a caveat to all prospective criminals." (In this instance, caveat means "warning" or "cautionary tale".)
- The common Latin phrase "caveat emptor", which loosely translates to "buyer beware", means that buyers take on a risk, and should familiarize themselves with the condition of goods or property prior to making a purchase.
Origin
The English noun caveat comes directly from the Latin language. The Latin verb "cavere" can translate as "to beware", "to guard against", "to watch", or "to take heed". The form caveat is the first person singular, and as such directly translates to "let him beware".
The word caveat has been used to mean "caution" or "warning" since the sixteenth century in English. A new meaning was added in the seventeenth century — when caveat also became a legal turn indicating a mechanism to stop a particular action from taking place.
In modern English, the word caveat is primarily used in two ways:
- The Latin phrase "caveat emptor", meaning "buyer beware" is broadly used to warn consumers to check the state of goods before making a purchase. This is often used in the context of buying real estate.
- The word "caveat" can be used on its own to make someone aware of the conditions or limitations associated with something. In this sense, a statement is made and followed by "with the caveat that", or “there is a caveat", explaining under which circumstances the statement may not be true.
More broadly, caveat can also simply mean "warning" or "caution".
The word caveat is generally used in more formal settings.
Words Similar to Caveat
Instead of caveat, meaning a warning, caution, or additional detail to be aware of, you could also say:
- A catch — in informal settings, saying that "there is a catch" is often a good synonym for "caveat".
- Warning
- Caution
- You should also be aware that — this is the way in which "caveat" is often used, and substituting this phrase will work fine in most cases.
Words Opposite to Caveat
Antonyms for caveat do not really exist. If a caveat is a piece of cautionary advice or an extra detail to be considered before making a decision, however, the opposite would be to blindly accept without questioning, or to fail to offer cautionary advice.
What Is the Correct Word?
The correct word is "caveat", meaning "caution", "beware", or "a relevant additional detail".
Ways People May Say Caveat Incorrectly
In terms of pronunciation, people who have read the word "caveat" and have not heard it spoken aloud may be tempted to pronounce caveat as "cav-eat", with the "eat" rhyming with "meat". Caveat is pronounced "ca-vee-at".
In terms of usage, people should be aware that caveat is now rarely used to mean "warning", and typically used to indicate that important information that spells out conditions or limitations is about to be shared.
Acceptable Ways to Phrase Caveat
You can use the phrases "with the caveat that" or "there is a caveat", followed by information or details that modify your prior statement. You may also use the phrase "caveat emptor" to indicate that buyers should know what they are purchasing before money is exchanged.