ben trovato

American  

[ben truh-vah-toh, ben traw-vah-taw] / bɛn trəˈvɑ toʊ, bɛn trɔˈvɑ tɔ /

adjective

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

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Etymology

Origin of ben trovato

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

Nay, I will even go farther and express a grave suspicion whether the Scotland of these bookish romances is not the daring imposture of a ben trovato.

From Baboo Jabberjee, B.A. by Anstey, F.

That story, ben trovato but not vero, rests on a forgery by the Regent!

From John Knox and the Reformation by Lang, Andrew

Perhaps at points the romantic may infringe upon the historic, but: Se non e vero, E ben trovato.

From The Bay State Monthly — Volume 2, No. 5, February, 1885 by Various

Never was any invention less ben trovato than that which used to describe Newman as pining after the 'incomparable liturgy' or the 'cultured society' of the Church of England.

From Res Judicat? Papers and Essays by Birrell, Augustine

For him a ben trovato was as good matter as a truth, or better.

From The Life of Cesare Borgia by Sabatini, Rafael