veridical
Americanadjective
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truthful; veracious.
-
corresponding to facts; not illusory; real; actual; genuine.
adjective
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truthful
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psychol of or relating to revelations in dreams, hallucinations, etc, that appear to be confirmed by subsequent events
Other Word Forms
- unveridic adjective
- unveridical adjective
- unveridically adverb
- veridicality noun
- veridically adverb
Etymology
Origin of veridical
1645–55; < Latin vēridicus ( vēr ( us ) true + -i- -i- + -dicus speaking) + -al 1
Explanation
Veridical describes something that's true. When you're talking to your friend who's prone to exaggeration, it's hard to tell what's veridical and what's just made up. Using the adjective veridical is a formal way to describe things that are accurate or based in reality. Sworn testimony in a courtroom is expected to be veridical, as is the information you learn in a history class in school. Sometimes predictions or dreams that appear to foretell the future are also described as veridical. The Latin root word veridicus merges verus "true" with dicere "to speak."
Vocabulary lists containing veridical
National Spelling Bee '14: Prelims Round 3
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You Are Correct! Synonyms for "Right"
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Oliver Sacks ( 1933-2015) Tribute List
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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.
In India, the recording of history has mostly been neither veridical nor comprehensive.
From Salon • Aug. 1, 2021
People tend to think of hallucination as a kind of false perception, in clear contrast to veridical, true-to-reality, normal perception.
From Scientific American • Aug. 27, 2019
Well, to be completely veridical, Davis doesn’t end each season precisely at .247.
From Washington Post • Apr. 21, 2019
Ah, would to God that I had now a bottle of the best wine that ever those drank who shall read this so veridical history!
From Gargantua and Pantagruel, Illustrated, Book 2 by Motteux, Peter Anthony
Replied the Prince, "This passeth all conception, nor can I believe it to be veridical until I shall have tested it and I become satisfied that 'tis even as thou sayest."
From The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 13 by Burton, Richard Francis, Sir
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.
