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."
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Cite this Entry
“Videlicet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/videlicet. Accessed 8 Oct. 2024.
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