Shaun C: just come back to this thread to see your comment. I agree, it doesn't mean Chapter & Verse and I never meant to imply that! Just a curious parallel coincidence in my phrasing - perhaps I should have written: "...despite the true meaning of the word denoting all of your entire life’s accomplishments".

Clearly you have to watch your step in this thread ...

An innocent enquiry on the web has led me to this monster-thread. Glad to see that the English language remains as living, contentious and interesting as ever.

My ha'penny worth: as a Brit, I would say that most people on the lookout for a job nowadays in the UK use the term CV despite the true meaning of the word denoting chapter and verse of your entire life's accomplishments.

The term résumé is understood but used far less in this context, I would argue.

Perhaps because we are next door to France, and perhaps because it is drummed into you as a kid, I feel more comfortable using the accented version rather than the unaccented as that could be confused with the verb which means something else entirely.