Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The axiom or principle in commerce that the buyer alone is responsible for assessing the quality of a purchase before buying.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a commercial principle that without a warranty the buyer takes upon himself the risk of quality

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[From Latin caveat ēmptor, let the buyer beware : caveat, third person sing. present subjunctive of cavēre, to beware + ēmptor, buyer.]

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Examples

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Comments

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  • Latin for "let the buyer beware." See also Caveat venditor.

    March 1, 2008

  • Latin caveat emptor literally means the buyer should beware, the purchaser should take precautions.

    July 17, 2013