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A priori

//ˌɑː pɹiˈɔːɹi// adj, adv

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Self-evident, intuitively obvious.
  2. 2
    Presumed without analysis.
  3. 3
    Based on hypothesis and theory rather than experiment or empirical evidence.

    "In his opening argument, the student mentioned nothing beyond his a priori knowledge."

  4. 4
    Developed entirely from scratch, without deriving it from existing languages.

    "Conlangers can also create a priori languages, which have no basis in existing languages. You might be familiar with more a priori conlangs than you think: The Klingon language from the television series “Star Trek,” the Na’vi language from the movie “Avatar,” and the Dothraki language from the television series “Game of Thrones” are all examples of a priori languages."

Adjective
  1. 1
    involving deductive reasoning from a general principle to a necessary effect; not supported by fact wordnet
  2. 2
    based on hypothesis or theory rather than experiment wordnet
Adverb
  1. 1
    In a way based on theoretical deduction rather than empirical observation.
Adverb
  1. 1
    derived by logic, without observed facts wordnet

Etymology

Etymology 1

First attested in 1610. Learned borrowing from Medieval Latin ā priōrī (“involving reasoning from cause to effect; from first principles”, literally “from the former”).

Etymology 2

First attested in 1610. Learned borrowing from Medieval Latin ā priōrī (“involving reasoning from cause to effect; from first principles”, literally “from the former”).

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