prima facie
[ prahy-muh fey-shee-ee, fey-shee, fey-shuh, pree- ]
/ ˈpraɪ mə ˈfeɪ ʃiˌi, ˈfeɪ ʃi, ˈfeɪ ʃə, ˈpri- /
adverb
at first appearance; at first view, before investigation.
adjective
plain or clear; self-evident; obvious.
Origin of prima facie
1425–75; late Middle English < Latin
prīmā faciē
WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH prima facie
ad hoc a posteriori a priori ex post facto prima facieWords nearby prima facie
prilosec,
prim,
prim.,
prima ballerina,
prima donna,
prima facie,
prima facie case,
prima facie evidence,
prima inter pares,
prima-facie evidence,
primacy
Example sentences from the Web for prima facie
There was no prima-facie absurdity in his hypothesis—and experiment was the sole means of demonstrating its truth or falsity.
Nothing could show more clearly that the compilers feel that there is a prima-facie case against them.
This is prima-facie evidence that the first statement was a libel.
The Cathedrals of Southern France |Francis MiltounThis suggests the prima-facie probability that he was John Blackmore.
The Mystery of 31 New Inn |R. Austin Freeman
British Dictionary definitions for prima facie
prima facie
/ (ˈpraɪmə ˈfeɪʃɪ) /
at first sight; as it seems at first
Word Origin for prima facie
C15: from Latin, from
prīmus first +
faciēs
face