Verisimilitude
/ˌverɪsɪˈmɪlɪtjuːd/
Definitions
The quality of appearing to be true or real; the resemblance of a representation to the truth.
/ˌverɪsɪˈmɪlɪtjuːd/
The appearance of being true or real.
The artist's attention to detail gave the painting a remarkable degree of verisimilitude.
💡 Simply: Imagine a story that feels so real, you almost believe it's happening. Verisimilitude is when a story, movie, or painting feels true to life, like it could actually happen.
👶 For kids: When something looks or seems real, like it could really happen.
More Examples
The documentary used archival footage to create a strong sense of verisimilitude.
The writer’s skill in character development enhanced the verisimilitude of the narrative.
How It's Used
"Authors strive for verisimilitude in their novels to make them believable."
"The costumes and sets contributed to the historical verisimilitude of the drama."
From Latin *verisimilitudo* (“appearance of truth”), from *verisimilis* (“likely, probable”), from *verus* (“true”) + *similis* (“like”).
Used by literary critics from the 18th century onward to describe the quality of realism and believability in literature.
Memory tip
Think 'very similar to truth'.