caveat

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

Definition of caveat

1 a :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

See caveat defined for English-language learners

caveat was our Word of the Day on 09/16/2013. Hear the podcast!

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 of caveat from the Web

But again, attach a lot of caveats to that analysis.

— john sides, Washington Post, "Did enough Bernie Sanders supporters vote for Trump to cost Clinton the election?," 24 Aug. 2017
Even when neither of those caveats apply the games are still thrilling.

— charles p. pierce, SI.com, "Play It Again! The Yankees and Red Sox Delivered Another Thrilling Chapter to Their Storied Rivalry," 22 Aug. 2017
The caveat here is that your image might not come out very well — eclipses aren’t exactly the most photogenic phenomenon.

— martha c. white, PEOPLE.com, "Procrastinators: Here’s How to Get Solar Eclipse Glasses at the Last Minute," 17 Aug. 2017
Spending on experiences, however, such as tickets to a play (or to Rome), rather than things, creates lasting contentment, with one new caveat.

— ellen seidman, Time, "14 Ways to Squeeze More Joy Out of Every Day," 7 Aug. 2017
One caveat: do NOT put LaCroix, Topo Chico, or doctored-up sparkling water in this thing.

— alex beggs, Bon Appetit, "This Gigantic Water Bottle Keeps Things (Wine) Cold for Hours," 2 Aug. 2017
A recent analysis, which looked at 40 years of training, found that diversity training can be effective, with a couple of caveats.

— ellen mcgirt, Fortune, "Wisconsin Was Outbid For Foxconn Factory, But Still Won," 1 Aug. 2017
First, a caveat: Anything is possible in the circus where politics meets rock ‘n’ roll.

— brian mccollum, Detroit Free Press, "Kid Rock running for Senate? Don't bet on it.," 13 July 2017
However, her caveat is those who are acne prone shouldn't sheet mask every day.

— devon abelman, Allure, "Using a Sheet Mask Every Day Is Actually Good for Your Skin," 10 July 2017

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.

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.")