prima facie

[ prahy-muh-fey-shee-ee, fey-shee, fey-shuh, pree- ]
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adverb
  1. at first appearance; at first view, before investigation; self-evident; obvious.

adjective
  1. plain or clear on initial investigation or at first view; self-evident; obvious: A rise in productivity correlates with rising employee well-being, making a prima facie case for improving workplace conditions.

Origin of prima facie

1
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Latin prīmā faciē (ablative singular of prīma faciēs); see origin at prime, facies

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Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use prima facie in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for prima facie

prima facie

/ (ˈpraɪmə ˈfeɪʃɪ) /


  1. at first sight; as it seems at first

Origin of prima facie

1
C15: from Latin, from prīmus first + faciēs face

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