Kevin
April 4, 2021
Common Questions
Do you know what the definition of veritable is? This guide will give you all of the info you need on the word veritable, including its definition, etymology, synonyms and antonyms, example sentences, and more!
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According to Dictionary and Merriam-Webster Unabridged English Dictionary, the word veritable is an adjective that means true, and not false, unreal, or imaginary. This is usually used to stress how appropriate a metaphor is. In short, the word veritable means that something is true, real, or genuine. The word veritable also has other different forms, including veritableness, which is a noun, and the adverb veritably.
People will use the word veritable when a truth about something is unquestionable. According to Fandom, the word veritable is used in the title of the song “A Veritable Smorgasbord” written by The Sherman Brothers for the 1973 film Charlotte’s Web. The song uses the word veritable to stress the metaphor of a fairground being a veritable smorgasbord for the animals. The lyrics to the song are below.
Goose:
A fair is a veritable smorgasbord-orgasbord-orgasbord
After the crowds have ceased.
Each night, when the lights go out, it can be found, on the ground, all around,
Oh! What a rat-ly feast!
Templeton:
Will I find
Melon rinds and bits of hot dogs, cookie crumbs and rotten cotton candy,
Melted ice cream, mustard drippings, moldy goodies everywhere.
Goose: Yes! Yes!
Templeton:
Lots of popcorn, apple cores, banana peels and soggy sandwiches,
And gobs of gorgeous gook to gobble at the fair!
Goose: Yes! Yes! Yes!
Templeton and Goose:
A fair is a veritable smorgasbord-orgasbord-orgasbord
After the gates are shut.
Each night, when the lights go out, it can be found, on the ground, all around,
That’s where a rat can glut, glut, glut, glut!
– Reprise –
Templeton:
A fair is a veritable smorgasbord-orgasbord-orgasbord
After the crowds have ceased.
Each night, when the lights go out, it can be found, on the ground, all around,
Oh! What a rat-ly feast!
Melon rinds and bits of hot dogs, cookie crumbs and rotten cotton candy,
Melted ice cream, mustard drippings, moldy goodies everywhere.
Lots of popcorn, apple cores, banana peels and soggy sandwiches,
And gobs of gorgeous gook to gobble at the fair!
A fair is a veritable smorgasbord-orgasbord-orgasbord
After the gates are shut.
Each night, when the lights go out, it can be found, on the ground, all around,
That’s where a rat can glut, glut, glut, glut!
According to Etymonline, the word veritable originated in the early 15th century in Middle English. This word comes from the Angle-French and Old French veritable, which means true, real, or honest. This word was lost in the mid 17th century but was revived around 1830.
Also per Etymonline, the word veritable comes from the word verity. The word verity has been used since the late 14th century, and has roots in the Anglo-French and Old French verite, meaning truth, sincerity, or loyalty. This word comes from the Latin veritatem or veritas, meaning truth or truthfulness. This comes from the Old Latin verus meaning true. In Modern French, the word is represented as vérité truth. The word was borrowed into English in the year 1966 to describe naturalism as it relates to film and media.
How can the word veritable be used in a sentence?
The word veritable can be used in many different situations to describe something that is true or accurate. In this first example, Terri and Lisa are talking about their new dog.
Terri: Oh my God, he’s eating that meal so fast. Is he even tasting it?
Lisa: I know. He’s a veritable pig!
Terri: And now he’s running around like a madman. Oh my Gosh, the energy!
Lisa: I know. He’s a veritable Tasmanian devil!
Terri: Would you look at that. He’s tired himself out. He fell asleep right in the middle of the floor.
Lisa: I know. He’s a veritable sloth!
Terri: Any more animal comparisons you would like to make about our new dog?
Lisa: He’s a veritable… dog?
Here, Lisa uses the word veritable to compare their new puppy to a variety of different animals that he is behaving like.
There are many different words and phrases that one can use in place of the word veritable. These words and phrases are called synonyms, which are words and phrases that have the same definition as another word or phrase. Someone might choose to use a synonym for veritable to make their sentence less forma, to expand their vocabulary, or to avoid repeating themselves. This list of synonyms for the word veritable is from Thesaurus.
There are also a plethora of words and phrases that have the opposite meaning to the word veritable, which are called antonyms. This list of antonyms for the word veritable is also provided by Thesaurus.
Overall, the word veritable means truthful or certifiably true. This word is usually used to stress the accuracy of some metaphor, like the song “A Veritable Smorgasbord” in the animated film Charlotte’s Web. This word is used to emphasize the truth or honesty of something.
