Word of the Day

: May 12, 2021

veracity

noun vuh-RASS-uh-tee

What It Means

1 : conformity with truth or fact : accuracy

2 : devotion to the truth : truthfulness

3 : power of conveying or perceiving truth

4 : something true

veracity in Context

English poet Thomas Gray wrote, "Any fool may write a most valuable book by chance, if he will only tell us what he heard and saw with veracity."

"Few observers have bothered to point out that the same online magic that allows viewers to stream 'The Crown' on demand also allows them to check within milliseconds on its veracity, if they so desire. " — Christina Boyle, The Los Angeles Times, 4 Dec. 2020

Did You Know?

Veracity has been a part of English since the early 17th century, and we can honestly tell you that it derives from the Latin adjective vērāx ("truthful"), which in turn comes from the earlier vērus ("true"). Vērus also gives us verity ("the quality of being true"), verify ("to establish the truth of"), and verisimilitude ("the appearance of truth"), among other words. In addition, vērāx is the root of the word veraciousness, a somewhat rarer synonym and cousin of veracity.