The origin and meaning of [sic]
The bracketed Latin term tells readers that a particular error appeared in the source material and was not an oversight by the later text’s editor or transcriber. Here’s how to use it properly.
“What does [sic] mean?”
Sic in square brackets is an editing term used with quotations or excerpts. It means, “That’s really how it appears in the original.”
It is used to point out a grammatical error, misspelling, misstatement of fact or the unconventional spelling of a name.
For example, you might want to quote the printed introduction to a college catalog:
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