Et•y•mol•o•gy with Anthonette
In vino veritas is a popular Latin phrase meaning “in wine, there is truth.” The Latin root word ver means “truth,” and it is the root for “veritable” (can be proved), “verify” (to determine to be truthful), and “veracity” (the quality of being true or accurate).
This month’s word is “verisimilitude” and knowing the root of it helps to infer it has something to do with truth and a state of being. The original Latin phrasing veri similis morphed into one word, verisimilitudo, over time. Merriam-Webster’s definition is “similarity to the truth.” The earliest use of this word was recorded in 1572.
The most common synonym for verisimilitude is “realism.” Antonyms are “falseness” or “absurdity.”
When it comes to this month’s Halloween decorations, too much verisimilitude may prove frightening for littler trick-or-treaters.
Happy wordsmithing!
By Anthonette Klinkerman
