verily
VEHR-ih-lee
/ˈverɪli/
In a completely truthful way; truly or certainly.
Used to emphasize the absolute truth of a statement, often with a divine or solemn tone.
The story behind the word. From the Middle English 'veray' (true), which comes from the Latin 'verus'. It shares a root with 'verify' and 'verdict'.
Word relationships
- truly: 'Truly' is the modern, everyday equivalent.
- falsely: The direct opposite of being truthful.
Commonly confused with
- very: 'Very' is an intensifier (very hot), while 'verily' is an adverb of truth (verily, it is hot).
Word family
- verity (noun): A true principle or belief.
Collocations
- verily I say
- verily believe
Example sentences
- "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." A classic biblical pronouncement.
Memory hook
Verily is 'Very' true. Verily = Verify the truth.
When not to use
Do not use in modern secular contexts unless you are being humorous or mimicking a preacher.
Fun facts
- In the King James Bible, 'verily' is often used to translate the Hebrew word 'Amen'.
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