Sic
Latin for 'thus' — used in quotes to mark an error reproduced from the original.
Sic is a Latin word meaning 'thus' or 'so'. In quotation, [sic] appears in square brackets immediately after a misspelling, grammatical error, or unusual usage in the source material. It tells the reader 'I am quoting accurately; the mistake is the original author's, not mine.'
Sic should be used sparingly. Over-use reads as a sneer at the source, especially when the original is from a non-native English speaker, a historical text with archaic spelling, or a context where the 'error' is actually idiomatic.
Some style guides recommend silently correcting obvious typographical errors in modern sources rather than parading them with sic.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equall [sic].”
Keep reading the glossary
Square brackets mark editorial changes inside a quotation — clarifications, edits, or [sic].
Three dots that mark words omitted from a quotation.
A formal reference that lets a reader locate the source of a quote.
The act of naming the original speaker or writer of a quote.