verdict means A decision on an issue of fact in a civil or criminal case or an inquest. It carries an Arena rating of 1725, earned across 10 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, verdict ranks #231 of 17,126 for Most Elegant Words, #2,698 of 17,135 for Most Malleable Words, #4,097 of 17,138 for Most Incisive Words, #5,811 of 17,143 for Best Fossil-Poetry Words.
verdict is pronounced /ˈvɜː.dɪkt/.
Why “verdict” is a great word
A formal finding of fact on a disputed matter, especially that delivered by a jury in a legal case. From Middle English verdit, from Anglo-Norman verdit (from veir, "true" + dit, "saying"), a calque of Germanic terms for "true statement"; ultimately from Latin vērus ("true") and dictum ("thing said"), first attested between 1250 and 1300. Unlike a judgment—the broader, judicial conclusion of a case—or a sentence—the specific penalty that may follow it—the verdict is the raw, foundational pronouncement of guilt or innocence. It is the collective intake of breath as the foreperson stands, the metallic finality of a single word echoing off wood-paneled walls, and the profound weight of a community's truth imposed upon a single fate. In that moment, a story ends, and a new, irreversible reality begins.
Etymology
From Middle English verdit, from Anglo-Norman verdit (> Medieval Latin veredictum), from veir (“true”) + dit (“saying”); possibly a calque of a Germanic term such as Old English sōþword, sōþsprǣċ, sōþspell, sōþsagu, or sōþcwide, all meaning "true story, statement of truth, account, history". Doublet of veredictum.
noun
- A decision on an issue of fact in a civil or criminal case or an inquest.e.g.“The jury returned a verdict of not guilty.”
- An opinion or judgement.e.g.“a “not out” verdict from the umpire”
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).