viz.
Viz. is a Latin abbreviation of videlicet , meaning " that is to say ."
The term viz is sometimes used to mean any of the following: "namely," "that is to say," "as follows," or " to wit ." After making a statement, a comma may be added, followed by viz., followed by more specific statements to illustrate the original point. A colon or comma usually separates viz. from the more specific statements.
An example from Multiform Desiccants, Inc. v. Medzam, Ltd. : “The inventor's words that are used to describe the invention — the inventor's lexicography — must be understood and interpreted by the court as they would be understood and interpreted by a person in that field of technology. Thus the court starts the decisionmaking process by reviewing the same resources as would that person, viz. , the patent specification and the prosecution history.”
[Last reviewed in July of 2024 by the Wex Definitions Team ]
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