a priori

== English == === Alternative forms === apriori === Etymology === First attested in 1610. Learned borrowing from Medieval Latin ā priōrī (“involving reasoning from cause to effect; from first principles”, literally “from the former”). === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˌɑː pɹiˈɔːɹi/, /ˌeɪ pɹaɪˈɔːɹaɪ/ (General American) IPA(key): /ˌɑ pɹiˈoɹi/, /ˌæ pɹiˈoɹi/, /ˌeɪ pɹiˈoɹi/, /ˌeɪ pɹaɪˈoɹaɪ/ Rhymes: -ɔːɹi, -ɔːɹaɪ === Adjective === a priori (comparative more a priori, superlative most a priori) Self-evident, intuitively obvious. Presumed without analysis. (logic) Based on hypothesis and theory rather than experiment or empirical evidence. (linguistics, conlanging) Developed entirely from scratch, without deriving it from existing languages. ==== Synonyms ==== deductive ==== Antonyms ==== a posteriori ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== a fortiori ==== Translations ==== === Adverb === a priori (comparative more a priori, superlative most a priori) (logic) In a way based on theoretical deduction rather than empirical observation. Synonym: deductively (broadly synonymous outside of philosophic arcanity) Antonyms: a posteriori, inductively ==== Translations ==== === Usage notes === A priori is broadly naturalized in English, but is sometimes typeset in italics. === See also === ex ante === References === == Finnish == === Etymology === Latin a priori === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈɑːpriˌoːriː/, [ˈɑ̝ːpriˌo̞ːriː] === Adverb === a priori a priori == French == === Alternative forms === à priori, apriori === Etymology === Borrowed from Medieval Latin ā priōrī (“involving reasoning from cause to effect; from first principles”, literally “from the former”). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /a pʁi.jɔ.ʁi/ === Adjective === a priori (invariable) intuitively known, a priori === Adverb === a priori (informal) at first glance === Noun === a priori m (invariable) preconceived idea ==== Antonyms ==== a posteriori == German == === Etymology === Borrowed from Medieval Latin ā priōrī (“involving reasoning from cause to effect; from first principles”, literally “from the former”). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /a pʁiˈoːʁi/ === Adjective === a priori (indeclinable) a priori === Adverb === a priori a priori === Further reading === a priori on the German Wikipedia.Wikipedia de == Italian == === Etymology === Unadapted borrowing from Medieval Latin ā priōrī (“involving reasoning from cause to effect; from first principles”, literally “from the former”). === Adjective === a priori (invariable) a priori === Adverb === a priori a priori Antonym: a posteriori ==== Derived terms ==== apriorismo apriorista aprioristico === Anagrams === prioria, ripario == Latin == === Etymology === Literally, “from the former, from that which comes before”. Introduced as a technical phrase by Scholastic philosophers, notably Albert of Saxony (14th century). === Pronunciation === (Classical Latin) IPA(key): [ˈaː priˈoː.riː] (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): [ˈaː priˈɔː.ri] === Adverb === ā priōrī (not comparable) (Medieval Latin) In a manner involving reasoning from cause to effect. (New Latin) In a manner involving reasoning from first principles; a priori. ==== Descendants ==== ==== See also ==== ā posteriōrī == Norwegian Bokmål == === Etymology === Borrowed from Medieval Latin ā priōrī (“involving reasoning from cause to effect; from first principles”, literally “from the former”). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /aˈpriːoːrɪ/ Rhymes: -oːrɪ Hyphenation: a‧pri‧o‧ri === Adverb === a priori (logic, philosophy) a priori; based on hypothesis rather than experiment. viten a priori a priori knowledge presumed without analysis, self-evident, intuitively obvious. a priori kunne man vente at... a priori one could expect that... ==== Antonyms ==== a posteriori (“a posteriori”) ==== Related terms ==== a fortiori (“a fortiori”) === References === “a priori” in The Bokmål Dictionary. “a priori” in Det Norske Akademis ordbok (NAOB). “a priori” in Store norske leksikon == Norwegian Nynorsk == === Adverb === a priori (logic, philosophy) a priori; based on hypothesis rather than experiment. presumed without analysis, self-evident, intuitively obvious. == Polish == === Etymology === Learned borrowing from Medieval Latin ā priōrī (“involving reasoning from cause to effect; from first principles”, literally “from the former”). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /a‿ˈprjɔ.ri/ Rhymes: -ɔri Syllabification: a‿prio‧ri === Adjective === a priori (not comparable, no derived adverb) (literary, logic, philosophy) a priori Synonyms: aprioryczny, apriorystyczny Antonyms: a posteriori, aposterioryczny === Adverb === a priori (not comparable) (literary, logic, philosophy) a priori Synonym: apriorycznie Antonyms: a posteriori, aposteriorycznie ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== === Further reading === a priori in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN a priori in Polish dictionaries at PWN == Portuguese == === Etymology === Unadapted borrowing from Medieval Latin ā priōrī (“involving reasoning from cause to effect; from first principles”, literally “from the former”). === Pronunciation === === Adverb === a priori (logic) a priori (derived by logic) a priori (presumed without analysis) ==== Derived terms ==== apriorismo === Further reading === “a priori”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026 “a priori”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026 == Spanish == === Etymology === Borrowed from Medieval Latin ā priōrī (“involving reasoning from cause to effect; from first principles”, literally “from the former”). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /a pɾiˈoɾi/ [a pɾiˈo.ɾi] Syllabification: a pri‧o‧ri === Adverb === a priori beforehand Synonyms: previamente, antes, anteriormente (logic, philosophy) a priori ==== Derived terms ==== === Further reading === “a priori”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025