caveat emptor
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Lat., "let the purchaser beware"; i.e. the buyer must keep his eyes open, for the bargain he agrees to is binding.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “caveat emptor” mean?
Lat., "let the purchaser beware"; i.e. the buyer must keep his eyes open, for the bargain he agrees to is binding.
Is “caveat emptor” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.