ipsissima verba

American  

[ip-sis-si-mah wer-bah, ip-sis-uh-muh vur-buh] / ɪpˈsɪs sɪˌmɑ ˈwɛr bɑ, ɪpˈsɪs ə mə ˈvɜr bə /

adverb

1. with the very words; verbatim.

---

noun

1. the very words.

ipsissima verba British  

/ ɪpˈsɪsɪmə ˈvɜːbə /

plural noun

1. the very words; verbatim

---

Etymology

Origin of ipsissima verba

First recorded in 1800–10; from Latin ipsissima, neuter plural of ipsissimus “the very same” (superlative of ipse “oneself, the very one”) + verba, plural of verbum “word”; ipso facto ( def. ), verbal ( def. )

Example Sentences

We have the ipsissima verba, the exact words of Jesus.

From Time Magazine Archive

I wish I had the ipsissima verba of it, for it seemed to be characterised by an admirable simplicity and directness.

From Recollections With Photogravure Portrait of the Author and a number of Original Letters, of which one by George Meredith and another by Robert Louis Stevenson are reproduced in facsimile by Murray, David Christie

The rest is my ipsissima verba, and I only wonder that it turns out as well as it does—for I wrote it faster than ever I wrote anything in my life.

From Life and Letters of Thomas Henry Huxley — Volume 1 by Huxley, Thomas Henry

This was the indiscreet action of Sir Francis Bond Head, the newly appointed lieutenant-governor of Upper Canada, in communicating to the legislature of Upper Canada the ipsissima verba of his instructions from the Colonial Office.

From The 'Patriotes' of '37 A Chronicle of the Lower Canada Rebellion by DeCelles, Alfred D. (Alfred Duclos)

I suppose it is: but I thought safest to give your ipsissima verba.

From Letters of Edward FitzGerald to Fanny Kemble (1871-1883) by Wright, William Aldis