caveat emptor

[ kav-ee-aht emp-tawr, -at, kah-vee-, key-; Latin kah-we-aht emp-tohr ]
/ ˈkæv iˌɑt ˈɛmp tɔr, -ˌæt, ˈkɑ vi-, keɪ-; Latin ˈkɑ wɛˌɑt ˈɛmp toʊr /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR caveat emptor ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

let the buyer beware: the principle that the seller of a product cannot be held responsible for its quality unless it is guaranteed in a warranty.

Origin of caveat emptor

Borrowed into English from Latin around 1515–25

Words nearby caveat emptor

cave in, cave man, cave tubing, cave-in, caveat, caveat emptor, caveator, cavefish, cavel, cavell, caveman

British Dictionary definitions for caveat emptor

caveat emptor
/ (ˈɛmptɔː) /

noun

the principle that the buyer must bear the risk for the quality of goods purchased unless they are covered by the seller's warranty

Word Origin for caveat emptor

Latin: let the buyer beware

Cultural definitions for caveat emptor

Caveat emptor
[ (kav-ee-aht, kah-vee-aht emp-tawr) ]

Latin for “Let the buyer beware.” It means that a customer should be cautious and alert to the possibility of being cheated: “Caveat emptor is the first rule of buying a used car.”