Verbum Hodiernum: VERUS

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VERUS Dictionary Entry

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Today's word is VERUS, which has given us English words like "veracity" and "verify," along with "verisimilitude" and "veritable" (one of my personal favorites!). Even the English word "very" comes from this Latin root, via the French vrai.

The use of the Latin adjective is straightforward enough, but there are some special things to watch out for. The neuter verum can be used substantively to mean "what is true, the truth," much like the adjectives bonum and malum. But verum can also be used adverbially, as can the ablative vero and the adverbial form vere. The form vero can also be used as a postpositive particle, in addition to being a traditional adverb. So, if you have a minute, check out the Lewis & Short dictionary entry which discusses all the different uses of verum, vero and vere in detail.

Here are some examples of today's word in Latin sayings and proverbs; for more information, see the page at the Scala Sapientiae, which contains notes on some of the proverbs cited below, as well as additional proverbs:

Verum non dicimus, ne audiamus.

Quod verum est, meum est.

Quaerimus verum.

Nihil vero verius.

Vi verum vincitur.

Non vivere, sed valere vera vita est.

Vera laus verae virtuti debetur.

Veri amoris nullus est finis.

Beatus qui invenit amicum verum.

Nihil est vera gloria dulcius.

Multi scire volunt, sed vere discere nolunt.

Tempore in adverso veri noscuntur amici.

Noscitur adverso tempore verus amor.

Quis sibi verum dicere ausus est?

In vino verum.

De vivis nil nisi verum.

Esto pius vere super his qui te genuere.

Non omnia quae vera sunt utile dicuntur.

Utile est amicos veros habere.

Amicus verus, rara avis.