caveat

noun

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ca·ve·at | \ ˈka-vē-ˌät

, -ˌat, ˈkä-vē-ˌät

; ˈkā-vē-ˌat \

Definition of caveat

1a : a warning enjoining one from certain acts or practices a caveat against unfair practices

b : an explanation to prevent misinterpretation

c : a modifying or cautionary detail to be considered when evaluating, interpreting, or doing something The driving instructor gave his students this caveat: if you are driving under the speed limit, stay in the far right lane.

2 : a legal warning to a judicial officer to suspend a proceeding until the opposition has a hearing

Other Words from caveat Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about caveat

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Did You Know?

You may be familiar with the old saying "caveat emptor," nowadays loosely translated as "let the buyer beware." In the 16th century, this adage was imparted as a safeguard for the seller: allow the buyer to examine the item (for example, a horse) before the sale is completed, so the seller can't be blamed if the item turns out to be unsatisfactory. "Caveat" in Latin means let him beware and comes from the verb "cavēre" ("to be on guard"). Perhaps you've also heard "caveat lector": "let the reader beware," a warning to take what one reads with a grain of salt. English retained "caveat" itself as a noun for something that serves to warn, explain, or caution. (The word caution is another descendant of "cavēre.")

Examples of caveat in a Sentence

Sound great? There's just one caveat: Knowledge about how genes work is still in the scientific Stone Age. — Andrea Knox, Chicago Tribune, 4 Aug. 2000 We'll add a caveat of our own for parents: After your kids walk through 17,500 gal. of swirling water, they're not going to be satisfied running through the lawn sprinkler. — Jim Wilson, Popular Mechanics, July 1999 But the youthquake in the new economy comes with a caveat that also may begin applying to politics. If you're inexperienced and you want a big job, you'd better be smart as hell. — Jonathan Alter, Newsweek, 22 Nov. 1999 … a cluster bomb can destroy objects over a wider area, with the important caveat that it is effective only if the bomblets have sufficient destructive power on their own. — Norman Friedman, Desert Victory, 1991 His investment advice comes with a caveat: that the stock market is impossible to predict with absolute accuracy.

Recent Examples on the Web In spite of that caveat, many were rightfully celebratory on social media. — Abby Gardner, Glamour, "The Supreme Court Just Blocked the Trump Administration From Ending DACA—For Now," 18 June 2020 Trump’s endorsement of Kaepernick getting a second chance came with a caveat, saying the reason Kaepernick hasn’t been signed is because of playing ability. — oregonlive, "Donald Trump: ‘I would love to see’ Colin Kaepernick get another shot at the NFL ... if he’s good enough," 18 June 2020 One caveat, of course, is there were fewer films playing in theaters (10 this year, compared to 17 last year). — Adam Epstein, Quartz, "Japan’s sluggish box-office recovery may be a harbinger for Hollywood," 15 June 2020 With states reopening, that’s now possible, with a caveat. — Popular Science, "Tips for staying in campgrounds, hotels, and rentals in the time of COVID-19," 15 June 2020 The only caveat is that there isn't really a sense of urgency to the ending of Artemis Fowl. — Leah Marilla Thomas, refinery29.com, "Artemis Fowl’s Ending Doesn’t Exactly Call For A Sequel — But It Doesn’t Write It Off Either," 15 June 2020 On Wednesday, Los Angeles County formally gave Hollywood the option to reopen with an important caveat. — NBC News, "Hollywood is not rolling out the red carpet for opening day yet," 12 June 2020 But the union included a caveat in its announcement about the agreement. — Jonathan Feigen, ExpressNews.com, "NBA details schedule for restart of 2020 season," 12 June 2020 One caveat: For the U.S. carriers on this list, the cuts cannot take place before the end of September, due to the terms of the airlines' federal coronavirus payroll support deals. — David Meyer, Fortune, "‘Personnel overhang’: All the job cuts each airline has announced so far," 11 June 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'caveat.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

1 Jul 2020

Cite this Entry

“Caveat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/caveat. Accessed 10 Jul. 2020.

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More Definitions for caveat

caveat

noun

English Language Learners Definition of caveat

formal : an explanation or warning that should be remembered when you are doing or thinking about something

See the full definition for caveat in the English Language Learners Dictionary

caveat

noun

ca·ve·at | \ ˈka-vē-ˌät, -ˌat; ˈkä-vē-ˌät, ˈkā-vē-ˌat

Legal Definition of caveat

1a : a warning enjoining one from certain acts or practices

b : an explanation to prevent a misinterpretation

2 : a notice to a court or judicial officer to suspend a proceeding until the opposition can be heard a caveat entered in the probate court to stop the proving of the will

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