Very

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very¹

  • /ˈvɛɹi/ UK, US
  • /ˈveɹi/ Australia, New Zealand
  • /ˈvɛɾe/ Scotland
  • /ˈvɛɾi/ Wales

Sounds like vary (only in accents with the Mary–marry–merry merger) · Rhymes with -ɛɹi

Where it comes from

From Middle English verray, from Old French verai (“true”), from Early Medieval Latin vērāgus, from Classical Latin vērāx, derived from vērus, from Proto-Italic *wēros, from Proto-Indo-European *weh₁ros.

Distantly cognate with Old English wǣr (“true”). Over time displaced the use of a number of Germanic words or prefixes to convey the sense 'very' such as fele, full-, mæġen, sore, sin-, swīþe, (partially) wel.

adverb

  1. not comparable To a great extent or degree. That dress is very you.
  2. not comparable Conforming to fact, reality or rule; true.
  3. not comparable Used to firmly establish that nothing else surpasses in some respect. He was the very best runner there.

Similar: above a bit, absolutely, sorely, widely, horribly, horrendously, bone, abundantly, all too, all, but good, completely

adjective verier · veriest

  1. literary, not comparable, usually True, real, actual. the fierce hatred of a very woman
  2. not comparable, usually The same; identical. He proposed marriage in the same restaurant, at the very table where they first met.
  3. not comparable, usually With limiting effect: mere. The very idea of climbing the ladder brings me out in a sweat.

Very²

proper noun

  1. A surname, variant of Verey.

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