What does veridicous mean?
Veridicous is an uncommon formal adjective meaning truthful, trustworthy, and genuinely accurate. It is especially useful for describing an account, witness, report, or statement that conveys what is true rather than what is merely convenient or persuasive. In ordinary writing, truthful is often clearer and more natural, but veridicous gives a polished, authoritative tone and can suggest moral directness as well as factual reliability. The word is not restricted to a particular English-speaking region, although it is much more likely to appear in formal or literary prose than in everyday conversation. A sentence can describe a witness as veridicous, emphasizing honesty and credibility, or call an account veridicous, emphasizing its correspondence with reality. It should not be treated as a synonym for eloquent: a veridicous account may be plainly written, but its defining quality is truthfulness rather than stylistic brilliance.
adjectiveTruthful and genuinely accurate; authoritative and credible, especially as a description of an account, witness, or statement.
- Truthful and credible; genuinely accurate.
"Her veridicous account of the events persuaded the court to reconsider its decision."
"The witness gave a veridicous account of what she had witnessed."
"Published in an austere style, the report was unmistakably veridicous."
Built from the Latin roots for “true” and “say,” veridicous literally means “true-speaking.”
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of veridicous
Veridicous comes through Latin from veridicus, formed from verus, meaning “true,” and dicere, meaning “to say,” so its underlying sense is “true-speaking.” It entered English as a learned Latinate adjective during the early modern period. Related English words include veridical, veracity, and verity, all associated with truth or true statements, while verisimilar literally means “similar to the truth.”
How veridicous is actually used
This is a formal, uncommon literary and legal adjective. It is more characteristic of elevated prose than everyday speech.
Easily confused with veridicous
Veridicous commonly characterizes a person as truthful or an account as credible, whereas veridical more often describes a statement or representation as true or accurate.