verisimilar
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of verisimilar
First recorded in 1675–85; from Latin vērīsimil(is) ( vērī, genitive singular of vērum “truth,” + similis “like, resembling”) + -ar 1
Explanation
The adjective verisimilar describes something that appears to be true or real but may not be. If you want to impress your friends, remark on the verisimilar portrait of lost love in that foreign film you all went to see. Verisimilar comes from Latin. You’ll notice the word similar at the end, which means “like.” Veri- comes from the word veritas, meaning “truth.” Something that is verisimilar is “like true,” but is not necessarily actually true. A painting of your uncle Marvin, for example, might be so good that it’s verisimilar, in that it almost looks like Uncle Marvin is standing right there — but he isn't.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
And there the effect is not only verisimilar but wonderful in its verisimilitude.
From The English Novel by Saintsbury, George
Here Robortelli answers a possible objection to Aristotle's statement that poets deal only with what is possible and verisimilar.
From A History of Literary Criticism in the Renaissance With special reference to the influence of Italy in the formation and development of modern classicism by Spingarn, Joel Elias
In the second place, the actions of tragedy are either really true, that is, historical, or if not true, have all the appearance of truth, that is, they are verisimilar.
From A History of Literary Criticism in the Renaissance With special reference to the influence of Italy in the formation and development of modern classicism by Spingarn, Joel Elias
But formerly, and especially by the theoreticians, by verisimilar was understood historical credibility, or that historical truth which is not demonstrable, but conjecturable, not true, but verisimilar.
From Aesthetic as Science of Expression and General Linguistic by Croce, Benedetto
Charming, but in no proper sense of the word natural or verisimilar.
From French Classics by Wilkinson, William Cleaver
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
