caveat

caveat \KAY-vee-at; KAV-ee-; KAH-vee-aht\, noun:

1. (Law) A notice given by an interested party to some officer not to do a certain act until the opposition has a hearing.
2. A warning or caution; also, a cautionary qualification or explanation to prevent misunderstanding.

Example Quotes:

Two young Harvard M.B.A.'s worked up some highly optimistic projections -- with the caveat that these were speculative and should of course be tested.
-- Roy Blount Jr., "Able Were They Ere They Saw Cable", New York Times, March 9, 1986

At Disney, Eisner says, adding an important caveat, "Failing is good, as long as it doesn't become a habit."
-- Warren Bennis and Patricia Ward Biederman, Organizing Genius

Example Sentences:

He gave his daughter some hyacinth bulbs with the caveat that she plant them in the shade.
-- Brought to you by the 3rd Generation Prius

Caveat comes from the Latin caveat, "let him beware," from cavere, "to beware."