verbatim
/vɜːrˈbeɪtɪm/
adverb and adjective
Origin
Latin
verbum — word
Overview
Meaning Now
- in exactly the same words as were used originally; word for word.
Literal older meaning
word by word
Language path
Latin → Middle English → English
Earliest form
verbatim
Earliest period
15th century
Journey
The term is a direct inheritance from Medieval Latin, where the suffix '-atim' was used to create adverbs from nouns, specifically meaning 'in a manner of' or 'by'. Its adoption into English reflects the heavy influence of Latin on legal and scholarly discourse in the late medieval and early modern periods.
Evolution
- Proto-Indo-European
*wer-
“to speak”
Reconstructed verbal root.
- Latin
verbum
“word”
Noun formed from the root.
- Medieval Latin
verbatim
“word for word”
Adverbial formation using the suffix -tim.
- Middle English
verbatim
“word for word”
Direct loan from Medieval Latin.
Connections
Word parts
verb-
root
word
-atim
suffix
in a manner of
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Related to verbatim
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.