caveat

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

Updated on: 17 May 2018

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

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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 the massive Chinese grosses come with a major caveat.

— erich schwartzel, WSJ, "‘Avengers: Infinity War’ Has Huge Opening in China," 13 May 2018
But there was a caveat: Though Floravere offered styles in up to a size 30, the samples for brides to try on at home were limited to sizes 12 and below.

— halie lesavage, Glamour, "This Bridal Brand Is Introducing Wedding Dress Samples in Sizes 2 Through 24," 9 May 2018
While the language of denuclearization might sound good, there is a caveat to this.

— christina cliff, Fortune, "How Diplomacy With North Korea Could Be Doomed From the Start," 8 May 2018
The evidence isn’t very strong, though There is a big caveat to the research: These studies show correlation, not causation.

— german lopez, Vox, "Medical marijuana may help combat the opioid crisis. But there are better solutions.," 30 Apr. 2018
The Astros and Athletics lead the league with 191 and 190 left on, but there's a big caveat.

— stefan stevenson, star-telegram, "Rangers strike early for once and bullpen holds off Blue Jays | Fort Worth Star-Telegram," 27 Apr. 2018
There is a caveat: Children with autism under the age of 18 could only be recommended medical marijuana by a pediatric subspecialist, like a pediatric neurologist or a pediatric psychiatrist.

— maria clark, NOLA.com, "Could medical marijuana treat severe autism? Some Louisiana parents believe it can help," 25 Apr. 2018
And yet there also is a caveat: all of that still might not be enough to beat the more talented 76ers.

— ira winderman, Sun-Sentinel.com, "ASK IRA: Are the Heat's Game 5 answers the same as always?," 24 Apr. 2018
There is a caveat to the timeline, though, Mullen said.

— erin hegarty, Naperville Sun, "Lisle Township considering spending $2.6 million on new assessor's office building," 21 Apr. 2018

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.")