verity
C2Formal, literary, philosophical, religious
Definition
Meaning
A fundamental truth or reality; something that is true, especially a longstanding belief or principle.
A statement, belief, or principle that is held to be universally or fundamentally true. Can also refer to the state or quality of being true or real.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Refers to profound, often moral or philosophical truths, not mundane facts. Strongly associated with permanence and unchanging principles.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. The word is equally rare in both dialects.
Connotations
Same formal, elevated, somewhat archaic connotations in both dialects.
Frequency
Very low frequency in both. Slightly more likely in British English due to its use in legal contexts (e.g., 'the general issue on a plea of not guilty is whether the statement is true in substance and in fact, a plea known as 'justification' or 'verity').
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
The verity of [noun phrase] is unquestionable.He spoke of [abstract concept] as an eternal verity.It is a verity that [statement].Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[no common idioms; the word itself is used in formal/philosophical set phrases]”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Virtually never used. Replaced by 'fact', 'reality', 'principle'.
Academic
Used in philosophy, theology, law, and literary criticism to denote foundational truths.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Would sound pretentious or old-fashioned.
Technical
Possible in legal language (plea of verity/justification) and some philosophical discourse.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- 'Verity' is not used as a verb.
American English
- 'Verity' is not used as a verb.
adverb
British English
- 'Verity' is not used as an adverb.
American English
- 'Verity' is not used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- 'Verity' is not used as a standard adjective. (Note: 'Verity' can be a female given name).
American English
- 'Verity' is not used as a standard adjective. (Note: 'Verity' can be a female given name).
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The film was based on a story of historical verity.
- One of the fundamental verities of economics is that supply and demand determine price.
- The novelist sought to explore the eternal verities of love, loss, and mortality beyond the transient details of contemporary life.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'VERIty' containing 'VERI-' (as in 'verify' = check the truth). It's a VERIfied truth.
Conceptual Metaphor
TRUTH IS A SOLID FOUNDATION / TRUTH IS AN ETERNAL OBJECT (e.g., 'the bedrock verities of human existence').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with 'верительность' (credibility) or 'верность' (fidelity/loyalty). The closest is 'истина' (a deep, often philosophical truth), not 'правда' (everyday truth/fact).
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a synonym for 'fact' in casual conversation (register error).
- Confusing with 'veracity' (habitual truthfulness) or 'verisimilitude' (appearance of being true).
- Misspelling as 'veracity'.
Practice
Quiz
In which context would the word 'verity' be MOST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Verity' refers to a specific truth or true principle. 'Veracity' refers to the habitual characteristic of being truthful or the accuracy of something (e.g., 'I doubt the veracity of his account').
It is highly unusual and would sound very formal, literary, or even archaic. Words like 'truth', 'fact', or 'principle' are almost always preferred.
It can be both. Uncountable: 'There is some verity to his claim.' (less common). Countable: 'He listed the basic verities of his faith.' (more common).
'Eternal verity' or 'fundamental verity' are among the most established collocations, emphasizing the timeless and foundational nature of the truth.
Collections
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High-Level Idiomatic Expressions
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