Sic
/sɪk/noun
An adverb used to indicate that something is quoted exactly as it appears in the original source, often despite any errors or unusual phrasing.
Did you know?The term 'sic' comes from Latin, meaning 'thus' or 'so', and has been used since the 17th century to signify that the text is intentionally quoted as is, often revealing hidden meanings or errors in the original context.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
sic
“thus, so”
16th Century
Early Modern English
sic
“used in quoting to indicate the text is quoted verbatim”
19th Century
English
sic
“adopted into English legal and scholarly texts as a mark of transcription accuracy”
20th Century
Modern English
sic
“used commonly in academic writing and journalism to indicate fidelity to original text”