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• prius
  prius

  adjective

  (in prescriptions) before; former.
• Prius
  Prius

  noun

  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.

prius

¹ American  

[prahy-uhs] / ˈpraɪ əs /

adjective

1. (in prescriptions) before; former.

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Prius ² American  

[pree-uhs] / ˈpri əs /

noun

Trademark.

• Prius,
  plural
• Prii
  plural

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.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• Prii
  plural
• Prius
  plural

Etymology

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

See Examples For:

prius Prius

In the court of appeal he was perhaps not so entirely in his element as at nisi prius, but the same combination of sound law, strong common sense and clear expression characterized his judgments.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Slice 4 "Bradford, William" to "Brequigny, Louis" by Various

Here, too, its fundamental axiom, "Nihil in intellectu quod non prius in sensu," was discouraging to belief.

From Transcendentalism in New England A History by Octavius Brooks Frothingham

Will a mere lawyer, will any amount of nisi prius craft or precedent, give you the qualities you need on that bench, or that you need, sadly need, at this council-board?

From Sir Brook Fossbrooke, Volume I. by Charles James Lever

Thought, the universal, the Idea, form--call it what you will--this is the ultimate reality, the foundation of the world, the absolute prius of all things.

From A Critical History of Greek Philosophy by W. T. (Walter Terence) Stace

Quos Deus vult perdere, prius dementat was never more thoroughly exemplified, and the course pursued proves incontestably that Mr. Staunton possesses a certain kind of courage which does not stick at trifles.

From The Exploits and Triumphs, in Europe, of Paul Morphy, the Chess Champion by Frederick Milnes Edge

They sold a 2021 Mitsubishi car for $15,000 and bought a cheaper Prius that had good gas mileage for $8,000 in cash.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 1, 2026

Okuda took the reins of the struggling firm in 1995 as the first person from outside the founding family in decades, and pushed innovative products such as the RAV4 and Prius.

From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026

His wife is also keeping her 2007 Toyota Prius.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 6, 2026

He doesn’t own a luxury Tesla; he owns a $5,000 Prius.

From MarketWatch ● Feb. 24, 2026

My last view of her was sitting in the shotgun seat of the Prius, her arms crossed, watching as Blackjack circled higher and higher, carrying Beckendorf and me into the sky.

From "The Last Olympian" by Rick Riordan