stet

Definition

A symbol used by proofreaders and typesetters to indicate that a word or phrase that was crossed out or changed should remain as it was.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin stet (“let it stand”), an inflection of stō (“I stand”).

Example Sentences

• "I believe the word "stet" is unnecessary and confusing; that it is used only on the margin when something has has been crossed off in the body of the text and is also used only with the dots (the stet marks ........) placed under the words in the body of the matter to be stetted—or to let stand as they were."
• "But a typographer in far-off Australia would instantly comprehend the carets, "stets," and "deles" of a Brooklyn proof-reader."
• "[O]ne particular sub-editor […] would proof-read my book reviews and archly insert literally dozens of little commas – each one of which I felt as a dart in my flesh. […] I would thank her, glance at the blizzard of marks on the galley proof, wait for her to leave the room, and then (standing up to get a better run at it) attack the proof, feverishly crossing out everything she had added, and writing “STET”, “STET”, “STET”, “STET”, “STET” all down the page, until my arm got tired and I was spent."