caveat

[kav-ee-aht, -at, kah-vee-, key-]

noun

1. a warning or caution.

   Before proceeding with the investment, he was given a caveat about potential risks and volatility in the stock market.

2. Law.,  a legal notice to a court or public officer to suspend a certain proceeding until the notifier is given a hearing.

   a caveat filed against the probate of a will.

verb (used with or without object)

1. to give a warning or caution (about information being presented).

   The authors of the paper caveated their findings with a reminder that further research would be necessary.

   Rather than hedging and caveating, I'll just say what I think.

caveat

/ ˈkeɪvɪˌæt, ˈkæv- /

noun

1. law a formal notice requesting the court or officer to refrain from taking some specified action without giving prior notice to the person lodging the caveat

2. a warning; caution

Other Word Forms

• caveated adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of caveat¹

First recorded in 1530–40; from Latin: “let him beware,” 3rd-person singular present subjunctive of cavēre “to take care”; caution

Word History and Origins

Origin of caveat¹

C16: from Latin, literally: let him beware

Example Sentences

There is a caveat: To be eligible for the credit, it isn’t enough to purchase equipment.

Read more on Barron's

Although semiconductors, memory chips and other AI infrastructure investments have been hot this year, Liddle said the caveat was that “these are still historically cyclical investments” that have higher risk.

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But this new path for incorporating bitcoin into your retirement plan comes with caveats.

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In New Mexico and Pennsylvania, fake electors avoided prosecution because their certification came with a caveat.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

A caveat: I have watched only a couple of this year’s new programs, which are largely unavailable to see as of this writing.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• admonition