Is it perse or per se?
Asked by: Jimmy Denesik | Last update: September 16, 2025Score: 4.2/5 (12 votes)
Per se is the correct spelling of the phrase that means “by itself.” It's used to express that something is considered on its own, without reference to anything else. Per say is a common misspelling of this phrase and is incorrect. The movie wasn't bad per se, but it wasn't very funny.
What does in Perse mean?
: by, of, or in itself or oneself or themselves : as such : intrinsically.
Why do people use per se incorrectly?
Per se is misused when it's used in place of perfectly good words such as 'necessarily'. For example, “He wasn't angry, per se, he just wasn't happy about it”. The word 'necessarily' would be more appropriate in this instance. It's also incorrectly used as in 'so to speak' - a kind of long-form bunny quote.
What does "at per se" mean?
Per se is a latin phrase that means "through itself." It also means "by itself or "in itself." Per se if generally used in a legal sense to mean that without referring to anything else, something must be accepted because it is self evident or inherent.
Is it per se or perse?
The correct spelling of the term is per se. Per say is a common misspelling that's influenced by the fact that the se in per se is pronounced the same as say. Per se means “intrinsically,” “in essence,” or “by its very nature.” It comes from Latin, in which it literally means “by itself.”
HOW TO USE "PER" IN ENGLISH - AS PER USUAL, PER SE, PER CAPITA || USEFUL ENGLISH VOCABULARY
What does perce mean?
Perce means “rock” and is a variation of the English name Percy. It means “pierce the vale” and is also a form of the name Percival.
What does per se literally mean?
Per se is a Latin phrase literally meaning “by itself.” It has the sense of “intrinsically,” or “in and of itself.” In everyday speech, it's commonly used to distinguish between two related ideas, as in, “He's not a sports fan per se, but he likes going to basketball games.”
Should I Italicise per se?
Yes, foreign words should generally be italicized when they are not commonly used in English. However, if the word has been assimilated into the English language, such as déjà vu or per se, italics are not necessary unless your style guide suggests otherwise.
What does it mean when someone says "so to speak"?
used to indicate that one is using words in an unusual or figurative way rather than a literal way.
What is an example of Perse?
His reluctance is unlikely to have much to do with you, per se. It's about young people as a whole rather than students per se. It's not just the dangers of overcrowding per se. But she says she wasn't disagreeing with it per se.
Is per se set off with commas?
Does per se need to be preceded by a comma in a phrase such as, "He wasn't a scientist per se…"? Answer: No. “Per se” means “in itself.” Re-read the sentence substituting “in himself” for “per se: “He wasn't a scientist in himself ….” So no, per se does not need to be preceded by a comma.
How do you put per in a sentence?
used when expressing rates, prices, or measurements to mean "for each": The meal will cost $20 per person. The car was traveling at 70 miles per hour (70 mph).
Is it grammatically correct to use as per?
The choice of which to use (or avoid) is entirely a matter of taste. The more ponderous as per is often found in business and legal prose, or in writing that attempts to adopt a formal tone. It is not incorrect to use, but some find it overly legalistic and counsel avoiding it for that reason.
What is the difference between true and correct?
Also, "true" seems to describe whether something is inherently factual or not, whereas "correct" has more of a meaning of judging whether it is right or not.
How do you use SE in a sentence?
Se accompanies conjugated reflexive verbs for example, me acosté meaning "I went to bed" and se apagaron las luces meaning the lights were turned off. Another use of se is for impersonal and passive voice constructions in Spanish which do not specify the subject.
When should I use per se?
Per se means `by itself' or `in itself,' and is used when you are talking about the qualities of one thing considered on its own, rather than in connection with other things. I don't work out per se, but I'm very active physically.
When should you not use italics?
Italics should not be used for the titles of short works, such as poems, articles, short stories, or song names—all of which use quotation marks instead.
Is per se italicized bluebook?
In the footnotes follow the Harvard Bluebook. Foreign words NOT commonly used in English: Italicize cognito, sans plus, res ipsa, jus ad bellum, jus in bello, inter alia, but ad hoc, per se, et al., de facto, vis-à-vis, e.g. (e.g. is italicized in footnotes as an intro signal).
When people use per se wrong?
Per se is often incorrectly used in spoken conversation to mean “so to speak” or “necessarily.” Although you may get away with using it this way in casual conversations, in formal settings, it's best to know the correct use of per se.
Is per se formal or informal?
And “per se” is, in fact a formal term used in legal and scholarly documents. It's a Latin term whose equivalen in English is “by itself.” And you can use the English equivalent but you would sound informal, even unscholarly.
Is per se a legal term?
Latin for “by itself,” in other words, inherently. For example, in tort law , a statutory violation is negligence per se. One of the elements a person has to prove in a negligence claim is that the defendant breached their duty owed.
How do you use Perce in a sentence?
Perce Sentence Examples
More than one-half of the cereal crop in 1905 was produced in the prairie and plateau region of Nez Perce and Latah counties.
What does Capone's mean in English?
gangster, mobster. a criminal who is a member of gang.
What does percee mean in English?
British English: breakthrough NOUN /ˈbreɪkθruː/