Legal Definitions - word of art

A word of art is a term used in a specific field that has a precise meaning different from its general meaning in everyday language. It can also refer to jargonistic words or phrases used within a particular profession or industry.

• Res ipsa loquitur: In law, this Latin phrase means "the thing speaks for itself." It is used to describe situations where the mere occurrence of an accident or injury implies negligence on the part of the defendant.
• And his heirs: This phrase is commonly used in legal documents, such as wills and deeds, to indicate that a property or asset will be passed down to the named person's heirs after their death.
• Code review: In software development, this term refers to the process of examining and evaluating a program's source code to identify and fix errors or improve its overall quality.

These examples illustrate how a word of art can have a specific and precise meaning within a particular field, and how it may not be easily understood by those outside of that field.