videlicet

adverb

vi·​de·​li·​cet və-ˈde-lə-ˌset 

vī-;

vi-ˈdā-li-ˌket 

: that is to say : namely

—abbreviation viz

Did you know?

The abbreviation of "videlicet" is "viz," and people often wonder how the "z" got there. There is no "z" in the word's Latin roots, viderē ("to see") and "licet" ("it is permitted"). As it turns out, the "z" in "viz" originally wasn't a "z" at all. It was a symbol that looked like a "z" and that was used in medieval manuscripts to indicate the contraction of Latin words ending in "-et." When the symbol was carried into English, it was converted into the more familiar "z."

Synonyms

• namely
• scilicet
• to wit

Examples of videlicet in a Sentence

the meaning of the Constitution is determined by one—and only one—body, videlicet, the U.S. Supreme Court

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin, from vidēre to see + licet it is permitted, from licēre to be permitted

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

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