Master confusing words with ease
Per say vs. Per se
Per say
/pɚ ˈseɪ/Examples:
The painting isn't abstract per se, but it has unique elements.He's not a friend per se, rather an acquaintance.The film isn't horror per se; it's more of a thriller.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Per se
/ˌpɜː ˈseɪ/Examples:
The report was concerning, per se, but not alarming.Per se, the policy is sound, but it needs adjustments.He didn't dislike the movie per se; he just found it too long.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
This word has no antonymsWays to tell them apart:
- Per se is a Latin phrase meaning intrinsically or by itself.
- Per say is an incorrect spelling of per se and is not used in standard English.
- To remember the correct form, recall that per se is a pre-existing Latin phrase.
- Per se is often used to indicate that something is considered separately from its context.
- Per say is a phonetic error, deriving from mishearing or misunderstanding the original phrase.
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