verus

Verus is a Latin adjective meaning true, genuine, or real. In classical Latin, it functions as a second-declension adjective and agrees with a noun in gender, number, and case. The standard forms in the singular are masculine verus, feminine vera, and neuter verum; in the plural they are masculine veri, feminine verae, and neuter vera. The corresponding genitive forms are veri for masculine and neuter, and verae for feminine, with the plural genitives veri, verarum, and verarum, respectively.

The word lies at the root of many modern terms relating to truth and authenticity. In English, derivatives such as veracity, verify, and veritable trace back to the same semantic field, often through Latin or Old French pathways that combine verus with related morphemes to convey truth, accuracy, or genuineness. The neuter form verum is also found in philosophical contexts as the term for “the true thing” or the true proposition, distinct from appearances or opinion.

In broader usage, verus appears primarily in linguistic and scholarly contexts as a Latin root or as part of Latin phrases embedded in texts, inscriptions, or academic discussions about Latin grammar and etymology. It is not commonly used as a standalone word in modern everyday speech outside of these contexts, but it remains a representative example of how Latin adjectives encode truth-related meaning and how their forms shift with gender and number.

Beyond linguistic use, verus sometimes serves as a proper name or branding element in contemporary settings, reflecting the Latin sense of authenticity.