prius

¹

[prahy-uhs]

adjective

1. (in prescriptions) before; former.

Prius

²

[pree-uhs]

noun

Trademark.

plural

Prius, Prii 

1. a brand of hybrid car, one of the first commercially successful, that runs at lower speeds on an electric motor powered by a battery pack, and at higher speeds on a gasoline engine, which can also recharge the battery.

Word History and Origins

Origin of prius¹

Borrowed into English from Latin around 1890–95

Origin of prius²

1997; from the Latin prius meaning “coming before”; also related to such English words as “prior” and “primary”

Example Sentences

From surveillance footage, detectives identified the suspect’s car as a black Toyota Prius.

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Two weeks later, Beverly Hills officers spotted the Prius at Lexington Road and Beverly Drive, the probation report said.

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The 2025 Prius Plug-in Hybrid is priced at $33,375 and has 44 miles of battery power.

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The Prius Plug-in Hybrid is a particularly good value for drivers who don’t go more than 40 miles in one day and can charge frequently, said iSeeCars.com analyst Karl Brauer.

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Toyota has revamped its Prius model, which once had a bad reputation for its appearance and low power.

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