Etymology Map
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Caveat

2 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means a warning or proviso of specific conditions

Where does the word "caveat" come from? It comes from Latin caveat, adopted directly into English (1550s).

1
Stage 1 of 2
caveat
Latin · ancient
"let him beware"
'let him beware', from 'cavēre'; Roman law gave the maxim 'caveat emptor', let the buyer beware
2
Stage 2 of 2
caveat
English · 1550s
"a warning"
first a legal notice to suspend proceedings, filed in English courts that still worked in Latin
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Read the full story

Caveat’s story begins in Latin: caveat meant “let him beware.” 'let him beware', from 'cavēre'; Roman law gave the maxim 'caveat emptor', let the buyer beware. It reached English by 1550s as caveat. First a legal notice to suspend proceedings, filed in English courts that still worked in Latin. Today, caveat means a warning or proviso of specific conditions.