noun

caveat

KA-vih-at

noun

A warning or condition attached to a statement, agreement, or piece of advice.

"I'll recommend the restaurant, with the caveat that service can be slow."

"The contract came with several caveats about liability."

verb

To attach a warning or qualification to something you say.

"Let me caveat that by saying the figures are still provisional."

How to Use Caveat

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA warning or condition you attach to something, meaning "this comes with a catch."

Memory tip

You'll most often meet it as a noun after "with the caveat that…"

Trace the full origin ↓

Common pairings

with one caveat an important caveat caveat emptor

caveated past tense, caveats plural, caveats singular

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “caveat” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Can you complete this real example?

I'll recommend the restaurant, with the _____ that service can be slow.

From Latin caveat, "let him beware" — a form of the verb caveō, "to be on guard." A doublet of "show."

eat meat feat beat peat heat seat teat neat sweat wheat great