Sine qua non

//ˌsaɪnɪ kweɪ ˈnɒn// noun

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    An essential or indispensable element, condition, or ingredient.

    "Near-synonyms: dealbreaker, necessary condition"

  2. 2
    a prerequisite wordnet

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin [condiciō] sine quā nōn (“[condition] without which not”), an expression which originated in the works of Boethius as a translation of some Aristotelian expression (perhaps Ancient Greek οὗ οὐκ ἄνευ (hoû ouk áneu); compare also Modern Greek εκ των ων ουκ άνευ (ek ton on ouk ánef) / Katharevousa ἐκ τῶν ὧν οὐκ ἄνευ (ek tón ón ouk ánef)), and was later popularized by scholastics.

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