To reject or prohibit something officially, especially a law or decision; to refuse to allow something to happen.
From Latin 'veto,' literally meaning 'I forbid.' Roman tribunes could say 'veto' to reject decisions. The word entered English in the 17th century and has been used specifically for executive branch power since the U.S. Constitution established the presidential veto.
The word 'veto' is one of the few Latin words that English kept almost completely unchanged because it's so powerful—it literally means 'I forbid' in the voice of authority. The Roman tribunes who first used it were protecting common people, but now it's mostly used by presidents and powerful officials!
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