The history of "caveat emptor" Caveat emptor is a Latin term that translates to " let the buyer beware. " Caveat emptor has been used in business since ancient times, but how it is used has changed over time. In ancient Rome, caveat emptor was a guiding principle in commercial transactions. Buyers were expected to check the goods they bought to ensure they were good enough. If a buyer found problems with the goods after the sale, they needed to do more about it. During the Middle Ages, caveat emptor was a guiding principle in commercial transactions. But the rise of guilds and other trade groups helped to regulate business and protect buyers in some ways. In the 19th century, caveat emptor became a more formal legal principle in English common law. Courts held that buyers were responsible for ensuring that the goods they were purchasing were of satisfactory quality and that sellers had no obligation to disclose their defects. In the 20