What does veily mean?
Veily is a chiefly Scottish English adverb meaning “truly,” “indeed,” or “genuinely.” It is especially useful when the speaker wants to stress that something is completely true or that a feeling or experience is strongly felt. The phrase “veily true,” for example, goes beyond calling something true to presenting it as entirely or unmistakably true. Similarly, “I am veily sorry” conveys a degree of sincerity and regret more strongly than a simple expression of apology. Although its meaning is straightforward, veily has a distinctly regional character that immediately distinguishes it from ordinary standard English. Most speakers encounter it in Scottish writing, dialect representation, literature, or speech from Scotland rather than in everyday international usage. Its relationship to the wider family represented by verily and very is reflected in its emphasis on truth, certainty, and genuineness.
adverbChiefly Scottish: truly; indeed; genuinely. It can emphasize that something is completely true or that a feeling or condition is strongly felt.
- Truly; indeed; genuinely, used to emphasize truth, reality, or the strength of a feeling.
"The witness's account was veily true."
"The old photograph was veily beautiful."
"I am veily sorry for the inconvenience."
Veily gives modern English a distinctly Scottish accent: it means not simply “true,” but truly so.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of veily
Veily belongs to the Scots vocabulary for expressing truth and genuineness, with the Scots adjective veil meaning “true” or “genuine” underlying its adverbial use. Its wider semantic family ultimately draws on Latin verus, “true,” through medieval French and English forms. In modern standard English, verily is the more familiar member of this family, while veily is chiefly retained in Scottish usage.
How veily is actually used
The word is especially associated with Scottish English and is uncommon in general modern usage. In writing, it may sound deliberately traditional or dialectal rather than neutral.
Easily confused with veily
Verily is the standard English equivalent of the Scots adverb veily, but is widely understood outside Scotland.