to wit

To wit is a phrase meaning " the following comes to mind ." The phrase is sometimes used to introduce examples for a more general statement. It may follow a comma, or form the beginning of a new sentence. A colon or a dash usually separates this phrase from the examples that it introduces.

For example, the syllabus of United States v. Gonzalez-Lopez , 548 U.S. 140 (2006) states: “The right to counsel of choice, however, commands not that a trial be fair, but that a particular guarantee of fairness be provided - to wit , that the accused be defended by the counsel he believes to be best.”

See also: Viz.

[Last reviewed in June of 2024 by the Wex Definitions Team ]

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