first principle

noun

1. any axiom, law, or abstraction assumed and regarded as representing the highest possible degree of generalization.

first principle

noun

1. one of the fundamental assumptions on which a particular theory or procedure is thought to be based

2. an axiom of a mathematical or scientific theory

Example Sentences

The Democrats and their consulting class, along with many others, have forgotten that first principle.

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All departments have also reassessed spending from first principles, as part of a "zero-based" review.

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She argued that the Conservatives needed to take the time to go back to first principles and work out what the government should and should not do.

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"The first principle in the academic world is that you direct your reader to your source material, and that isn't happening here," she said.

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Badenoch won her party's leadership on a promise to return the Conservatives to "first principles" before setting out detailed policies.

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