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videlicet. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
videlicet, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
videlicet in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
videlicet you have here. The definition of the word
videlicet will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
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English
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin vidēlicet, which itself is a contraction of vidēre licet, meaning "it is permitted to see".
Pronunciation
Often read out in translation as namely or to wit.
Adverb
videlicet (not comparable)
- Namely, to wit, that is to say (used when clarifying or naming the preceding item or topic)
c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, :Videlicet,a Brothell, or ſo forth.
1993, Anthony Burgess, A Dead Man in Deptford, →ISBN:— […] My father did speak much of the day he was not speedily to forget, videlicet May Day of 1517, when there was great apprentice rioting against insolent foreigners.
Usage notes
Where videlicet is carefully distinguished from scilicet, viz. is used to provide glosses and sc. to provide omitted words or parenthetic clarification.
Synonyms
Latin
Etymology
A contraction of vidēre licet (“ is permitted to see”).[1] Cf. scīlicet.
Pronunciation
Adverb
vidēlicet (not comparable)
- namely, to wit, that is to say
c. 1300, Tractatus de Ponderibus et Mensuris:Per Ordinacionem tocius regni Anglie fuit mensura Domini Regis composita videlicet quod denarius qui vocatur sterlingus rotundus & sine tonsura ponderabit triginta duo grana frumenti in medio Spice.- Per Ordinance of the whole realm of England the measure of the King is composed namely of a penny, which is called a sterling, round & without clipping, weighs thirty-two grains of wheat in the middle of the Ear.
- clearly, evidently
References
- “videlicet”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
- “videlicet”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
- videlicet in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
- ^ American Heritage Dictionary, 5th ed. "vi·del·i·cet". Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014.