perse

1 of 3

adjective (1)

: of a dark grayish blue resembling indigo

per se

2 of 3

adverb

(ˌ)pər-ˈsā,
 also  per-ˈsā,
or
(ˌ)pər-ˈsē How to pronounce per se (audio)
: by, of, or in itself or oneself or themselves : as such : intrinsically

per se

3 of 3

adjective (2)

: being such inherently, clearly, or as a matter of law
a per se conflict of interest

Did you know?

We generally use per se to distinguish between something in its narrow sense and some larger thing that it represents. Thus, you may have no objection to educational testing per se, but rather to the way testing is done. An opposition party may attack a president's policy not because they dislike the policy per se but because they want to weaken the president. And when New York's police chief decided to crack down on small crimes, it wasn't the small crimes per se that were his target, but instead the larger crimes which he believed would be reduced because of this new approach.

Examples of perse in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Adverb
It’s been a big lesson in futility, rather than a disaster per se. Ryan Hogg, Fortune, 10 June 2024 That the social might just be a red herring, and that the context is what was driving which critical period was being open, not the sort of prosocial properties of MDMA per se. Quanta Magazine, 6 June 2024 None of them were for sale, per se, but a little obstacle like that was hardly a deterrent. Christine Lennon, Sunset Magazine, 4 June 2024 The shift is less about the art of stand-up per se, but more about how individual comedians have so many roots to speak to their audience and cultivate it and grow it. Josef Adalian, Vulture, 25 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for perse 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'perse.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective (1)

Middle English pers, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin persus

Adverb

Latin

First Known Use

Adjective (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Adverb

1574, in the meaning defined above

Adjective (2)

circa 1655, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of perse was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near perse

per se

perse

Perse

Cite this Entry

“Perse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perse. Accessed 19 Jun. 2024.

Legal Definition

per se

1 of 2 adverb
1
: inherently, strictly, or by operation of statute, constitutional provision or doctrine, or case law
the transaction was illegal per se
see also negligence per se at negligence, nuisance per se at nuisance
2
: without proof of special damages or reference to extrinsic circumstances
defamatory statements that were actionable per se
compare per quod

per se

2 of 2 adjective
: being such inherently, clearly, or by operation of statute, constitutional provision or doctrine, or case law
it is clear that licensing of adult entertainment establishments is not a per se violation of the First AmendmentClub Southern Burlesque, Inc. v. City of Carrollton, 457 S.E.2d 816 (1995)
a per se conflict of interest
Etymology

Adverb

Latin, by, of, or in itself

Biographical Definition

Perse

biographical name

St. John see Aléxis Saint-Léger léger
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