ben trovato

[ ben truh-vah-toh; Italian ben traw-vah-taw ]

adjective

1. appropriate and characteristic even if untrue; happily invented or discovered.

Word History and Origins

Origin of ben trovato¹

First recorded in 1770–75; from Italian: literally, “well found,” in full, Se non è vero, è molto ben trovato “If it isn’t true, it is very well found, happily invented,” a saying especially associated with Giordano Bruno, 16th-century Italian philosopher

Example Sentences

I can hardly help laughing at this myself; for, Se non e vero, ben Trovato!

From Project Gutenberg

Kwiatkowski told me a pretty story which se non vero is certainly ben trovato.

From Project Gutenberg

Here is a delightful story of the present Bishop of London for you, which is molto ben trovato, at any rate.

From Project Gutenberg

The story as related by the English friar is very characteristic of the age, and, si non e vero e ben trovato.

From Project Gutenberg

If it were not true it was at least, as the Italians have it, ben trovato, and it was wonderful how well it bore thinking of.

From Project Gutenberg