caveat emptor

[ kav-ee-aht emp-tawr, -at, kah-vee-, key-; Latin kah-we-aht emp-tohr ]

noun

1. let the buyer beware: the principle that the seller of a product cannot be held responsible for its quality unless it is guaranteed in a warranty.

caveat emptor

/ ˈɛmptɔː /

noun

1. the principle that the buyer must bear the risk for the quality of goods purchased unless they are covered by the seller's warranty

Caveat emptor

1. Latin for “Let the buyer beware.” It means that a customer should be cautious and alert to the possibility of being cheated: “Caveat emptor is the first rule of buying a used car.”

Word History and Origins

Origin of caveat emptor¹

Borrowed into English from Latin around 1515–25

Word History and Origins

Origin of caveat emptor¹

Latin: let the buyer beware

Example Sentences

As the phrase goes in Latin — caveat emptor, or “let the buyer beware.”

From Seattle Times

Thank the Supreme Court when “caveat emptor,” buyer beware, will apply to everything in the name of protecting us from those pesky regulations.

From Seattle Times

"This is one of the caveat emptor things that all foreign would-be acquirers should keep in mind."

From Reuters

“When it comes to Harris and 2024 — or beyond — Democrats would be wise to bear in mind the old time-honored caution, caveat emptor.”

From Washington Times

In early April, the federal agency that regulates wine and other alcoholic beverages issued a mild warning to producers — and a caveat emptor to consumers — about potentially misleading health claims in advertising.

From Washington Post