First Known Use: 13th century
Dictionary
1very
adjective \ˈver-ē, ˈve-rē\
—used to emphasize that you are talking about one specific thing or part and not another
: not having anything added or extra
—used to emphasize that something belongs to or is part of a particular person or thing
veri·erveri·est
Full Definition of VERY
1
2
3
a : absolute, utter <the veriest fool alive> b : unqualified, sheer <the very shame of it>
4
—used as an intensive especially to emphasize identity <before my very eyes>
6
: being the same one : selfsame <the very man I saw>
7
: special, particular <the very essence of truth is plainness and brightness — John Milton>
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See very defined for kids
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Origin of VERY
Middle English verray, verry, from Anglo-French verai, from Vulgar Latin *veracus, alteration of Latin verac-, verax truthful, from verus true; akin to Old English wǣr true, Old High German wāra trust, care, Greek ēra (accusative) favor
Synonym Discussion of VERY
same, selfsame, very, identical, equivalent, equal mean not different or not differing from one another. same may imply and selfsame always implies that the things under consideration are one thing and not two or more things <took the same route> <derived from the selfsame source>. very, like selfsame, may imply identity, or, like same, may imply likeness in kind <the very point I was trying to make>. identical may imply selfsameness or suggest absolute agreement in all details <identical results>. equivalent implies amounting to the same thing in worth or significance <two houses equivalent in market value>. equal implies being identical in value, magnitude, or some specified quality <equal shares in the business>.
2very
adverb
: to a great degree
—used to emphasize the exactness of a description
Full Definition of VERY
1
: in actual fact : truly <the very best store in town> <told the very same story>
2
: to a high degree : exceedingly <very hot> <didn't hurt very much>
See very defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of VERY
14th century
Related to VERY
- Synonyms
- achingly, almighty, archly, awful, awfully, badly, beastly, blisteringly, bone, colossally, corking, cracking, damn, damned, dang, deadly, desperately, eminently, enormously, especially, ever, exceedingly (also exceeding), extra, extremely, fabulously, fantastically, far, fiercely, filthy, frightfully, full, greatly, heavily, highly, hugely, immensely, incredibly, intensely, jolly, majorly, mightily, mighty, monstrous [chiefly dialect], mortally, most, much, particularly, passing, rattling, real, really, right, roaring, roaringly, seriously, severely, so, sore, sorely, spanking, specially, stinking, such, super, supremely, surpassingly, terribly, that, thumping, too, unco, uncommonly, vastly, vitally, way, whacking, wicked, wildly, a lot, as all get-out, good and, in actuality, in reality, in truth
- Antonyms
- little, negligibly, nominally, slightly, somewhat
VERY Defined for Kids
1very
adverb \ˈver-ē\
Definition of VERY for Kids
1
: to a great degree : extremely <It was very hot.>
2
: in actual fact : truly <That's the very best chocolate you can buy.>
2very
adjective
Definition of VERY for Kids
1
2
: exactly suitable or necessary <That's the very tool for this job.>
4
: exactly the same <That's the very story I told.>
Word Root of VERY
The Latin word vērus, meaning “true,” gives us the root ver. Words from the Latin vērus have something to do with the truth. To verify is to prove that something is true. A verdict is the judgment of truth that a jury reaches in a court. Very is another way of saying “truly,” as in “very good.”
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