Veracious

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /vəˈɹeɪ.ʃəs/

Definitions

1. Consistently truthful and accurate in statements or representations
2. Exhibiting an unwavering commitment to truthfulness and accuracy in communication or representation is a defining characteristic of this quality
3. Marked by a persistent adherence to truth and factual correctness

Etymology: "Veracious" is built from the Latin "vērāx," meaning "truthful," which itself grew from "vērus," meaning "true." The English ending "-acious" comes from Latin "-ax," which marks a tendency or inclination, so the word literally describes someone with a strong inclination toward truth. The same ending appears in "loquacious" (inclined to talk) and "tenacious" (inclined to hold fast), which share this suffix pattern. The pairing is revealing: "veracious" and "verity" are close relatives, both descending from "vērus." English gained the word with its full Latin shape intact, so the two parts remain easy to see. Readers who notice the "-acious" ending can usually guess the sense from the family of words it belongs to.

Synonyms: truthful, honest, accurate, sincere

Antonyms: deceitful, dishonest, false