caveat emptor
noun
, -ˌtȯr\
Definition of caveat emptor
Keep scrolling for more
Examples of caveat emptor in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Whether or not to jailbreak is really a caveat emptor proposition, and certainly not something for casual or novice users. — Kevin Dupzyk, Popular Mechanics, "Jailbreaking: The FAQ," 14 Jan. 2019 Whatever happened to caveat emptor, common sense and the ability to reason? — WSJ, "Facebook and Its Fake News Comeuppance," 1 Apr. 2018 Whether or not to jailbreak is really a caveat emptor proposition, and certainly not something for casual or novice users. — Kevin Dupzyk, Popular Mechanics, "Jailbreaking: The FAQ," 14 Jan. 2019 So caveat emptor also enters the equation, which tends to lower any potential return -- or even interest. — Ira Winderman, Sun-Sentinel.com, "ASK IRA: Could Kevin Love tempt Heat if made available by Cavs?," 9 June 2018 Whatever happened to caveat emptor, common sense and the ability to reason? — WSJ, "Facebook and Its Fake News Comeuppance," 1 Apr. 2018 The group last week designated Crypto as a caveat emptor security, which means that a skull and crossbones icon sits next to the stock symbol on the OTC markets website. — Charley Grant, WSJ, "Bitcoin Mania Comes to the Stock Market," 13 Dec. 2017 The general principle of caveat emptor — let the buyer beware — can make sense for the sorts of facts that responsible buyers would find out for themselves. — Kwame Anthony Appiah, New York Times, "Should Buyers Be Told About the Killer Next Door?," 6 Dec. 2017 Bitcoin has been the ideal proving ground for investment’s most powerful advice: caveat emptor, buyer beware. — James Mackintosh, WSJ, "Is It Time to Regulate Bitcoin?," 4 Dec. 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'caveat emptor.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for caveat emptor
caveat emptor
nounFinancial Definition of caveat emptor
What It Is
Caveat emptor is Latin for let the buyer beware, meaning the buyer assumes the risk in a transaction.
How It Works
Garage sales are great examples of caveat emptor. Buyers purchase goods as is and have little or no recourse if those goods turn out to be defective. Thus, buyers are responsible for testing and examining those products before purchase.
However, in many cases outside of the garage-sale circuit (for instance, the purchase of a new car), several laws, regulations, and industry standards hold sellers to a higher standard by requiring them to offer adequate disclosure and take responsibility for defects that buyers may not note in a casual inspection.
Why It Matters
Caveat emptor, or the notion that the buyer takes the risk, is a fundamental principle of commerce. The resulting philosophy is that the buyer is responsible for knowing his rights and protecting himself.
After the 1929 market crash, Congress began to favor more disclosure (via the passage of the Securities Exchange Acts) over the notion of caveat emptor in the securities industry. However, buyers, particularly in the securities industry, are still responsible for their own decisions, and in many other areas of commerce, caveat emptor does not trump all -- sellers share responsibility for providing working products, sound advice, and transparent information to buyers.
Source: Investing Answers
caveat emptor
noun
English Language Learners Definition of caveat emptor
See the full definition for caveat emptor in the English Language Learners Dictionary
caveat emptor
noun
\