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First Known Use: circa 1859
in the meaning defined above
See Words from the same yearThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use: 1845
in the meaning defined at sense 1
See Words from the same yearThe adverb sic, usually enclosed in brackets, is a word editors use in the reproduction of someone else's speech or writing to indicate that an unexpected form exactly reproduces the original and is not a copier's mistake. Sic comes from Latin, in which it means "so" or "thus." Though it's a useful tool, some usage commentators feel it is bad manners to use a sic to needlessly call attention to someone's error or to deride the language of a less-educated person.
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