SINCE 1828

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

vade mecum

noun va·de me·cum \ ˌvā-dē-ˈmē-kəm , ˌvä-dē-ˈmā- \

Definition of vade mecum

plural vade mecums

1 : a book for ready reference : manual

2 : something regularly carried about by a person

vade mecum was our Word of the Day on 03/12/2017. Hear the podcast!

Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP

Recent Examples of vade mecum from the Web

By the time the last of its five massive volumes appeared, in 1959, the Sowerby catalog had become the vade mecum of Jefferson scholarship.

— jorge dionis, Town & Country, "Turn Up the Volumes," 6 Dec. 2013

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

Brush Up on Your Latin With vade mecum

Vade mecum is Latin for go with me (it derives from the Latin verb vadere, meaning "to go.") In English, "vade mecum" has been used (since at least 1629) of manuals or guidebooks sufficiently compact to be carried in a deep pocket. But from the beginning, it has also been used for such constant companions as gold, medications, and memorized gems of wisdom.

Origin and Etymology of vade mecum

borrowed from Latin, "go with me"

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1629

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

Learn More about vade mecum

Nglish: Translation of vade mecum for Spanish speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up vade mecum? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

WORD OF THE DAY

raillery

play

good-natured ridicule

BROWSE DICTIONARY

VAD

vade

vade mecum

vade retro me, Satana

vades

Test Your Vocabulary

Words Used by Nabokov Quiz

Choose the best definition or synonym for the word in bold: "There are some eructations that sound like cheers—at least, mine did." Lolita

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

TAKE THE QUIZ

Word Winder's CrossWinder

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Words at Play

9 Words from the Magical Realm

When language is magic

alt-5afefa13cc811

A Field Guide to British Noble Titles

Know your Duchess from your Baroness

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

When it doesn't go as planned

alt-5afd9816817c1

Putting the History of 'Limelight' Center Stage

It's, ahem, an illuminating story.

Ask the Editors

video-ghost-words

Ghost Word

The story of an imaginary word that managed to sneak past our editors and enter the dictionary.

2017 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes

How we chose 'feminism'

video-literally

Literally

How to use a word that (literally) drives some people nuts.

video-his-or-her

Is Singular 'They' a Better Choice?

The awkward case of 'his or her'

Word Games

Words Used by Nabokov Quiz

How familiar are you with Nabokov’s unfamiliar vocabulary?

Take the quiz

cow-coming-home

Farm Idioms Quiz

Not your children's farm quiz.

Take the quiz

Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

Take the quiz

Word Winder's CrossWinder

Word Winder's CrossWinder

A game of winding words.

Play the game

Editor's Note: Brush Up on Your Latin With vade mecum