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Nota bene

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This article is about the Italian and Latin phrase. For other uses, see Nota bene (disambiguation).
This article is about the phrase meaning in literature. For the Wikipedia formatting, see Template:Markup § Examples.

Nota bene (/[invalid input: 'icon']ˈnoʊtɑːˈbɛnɛ/; alternative pronunciations /ˈnoʊtə ˈbeɪni, ˈbɛni, ˈbini/; plural form notate bene) is an Italian and Latin phrase meaning "note well".[1] The phrase first appeared in writing circa 1721.[2]

Often abbreviated as "N. B.", nota bene comes from the Latin roots notāre ("to note") and bene ("well").[1] It is in the singular imperative mood, instructing one individual to note well the matter at hand. In present-day English, it is used, particularly in legal papers,[3] to draw the attention of the reader to a certain (side) aspect or detail of the subject on hand, translating it as "pay attention" or "take notice". While "N. B." is often used in academic writing, "note" is a common substitute.

See also

Look up nota bene in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

References

  1. ^ a b "nota bene". Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. Retrieved 2010-12-25.
  2. ^ Harper, Douglas (Historian). "Nota Bene Etymology at Dictionary.com". Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 2010-12-25.
  3. ^ "Glossary (Latin Terms)". Her Majesty's Courts Service, United Kingdom. Retrieved 2010-12-25.
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