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”