veridical

Veridical is an adjective meaning truthful or accurate, especially as it relates to correspondence with reality or fact. The term originates from the Latin veridicus, from verus “true” and dicere “to say.” In everyday language, veridical reports or memories are those that align with what actually happened.

In philosophy, cognitive science, and related fields, veridicality refers to the success of a representation, perception, or belief in tracking the external world. A veridical perception is one that correctly mirrors the properties of objects and events. By contrast, illusory or non-veridical perceptions misrepresent reality. The term is also used to describe beliefs or memories that are true; some discussions add that such veridical beliefs are properly justified, while others distinguish truth from justification more explicitly.

In epistemology and the philosophy of mind, veridicality helps analyze sources of knowledge, such as sensory perception or memory. In legal or historical contexts, a testimony may be described as veridical if it faithfully recounts events. Overall, veridicality concerns the accuracy and truthfulness of experiences, reports, or judgments in relation to the real world.