prima facie
adverb
-shē, -sē also -shē-ˌē, -sē-ˌē\
Definition of prima facie
(Entry 1 of 2)
: at first view : on the first appearance
prima facie
adjectiveDefinition of prima facie (Entry 2 of 2)
1 : true, valid, or sufficient at first impression : apparent the theory … gives a prima facie solution— R. J. Butler
2 : self-evident
3 : legally sufficient to establish a fact or a case unless disproved prima facie evidence
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Synonyms for prima facie
Synonyms: Adjective
apparent, assumed, evident, ostensible, ostensive, presumed, putative, reputed, seeming, supposed
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Examples of prima facie in a Sentence
Adjective
a prima facie case of tax fraud challenged the assertion that the dearth of women on the staff constituted a prima facie case of sexual discriminationRecent Examples on the Web: Adjective
The Indian government offers prima facie recognition for two refugee groups – Tibetans and Sri Lankan Tamils – because of historic religious and ethnic connections, and recently proposed to give Tibetans more welfare benefits. — Rina Chandran, The Christian Science Monitor, "After fleeing violence in Myanmar, Rohingya refugees struggle in India," 11 May 2018 The idea there is a prima facie national benefit in having senators from both parties agreeing to a dubious policy is almost childlike in its view of history. — Charles P. Pierce, Esquire, "'Bipartisan' Does Not Inherently Mean 'Good'," 7 Mar. 2018 Exports are good and imports are bad in Trumponomics, and a trade deficit is prima facie evidence that the other side has acted in bad faith. — Bloomberg.com, "Trump’s Hard-Line Take on Trade Plays Into China’s Hands," 8 Mar. 2018 Failure to conform, in any society, is treated in casual parlance as prima facie evidence of insanity. — Holman W. Jenkins, WSJ, "When the Truth Is Crazy," 1 Sep. 2017 For one thing, the Russian effort to run a negative campaign against Clinton and promote Trump is a prima facie campaign contribution and, thus, a flagrant violation of U.S. election law that explicitly bars foreign donations. — Will Bunch, Philly.com, "Meet the 'Philly Central High grad' who was really a Russian troll helping Trump win," 12 Sep. 2017 Quite the contrary: Its acute interest in self-preservation is demonstrated prima facie by the fact of its very survival, over 25 years after the demise of the USSR and Eastern European socialism. — Nicholas Eberstadt, National Review, "To Neutralize the North Korean Threat, America Must First Understand the North Korean Regime," 11 Sep. 2017 That somebody even came up with this idea is prima facie evidence that somebody’s tricorn is on much too tight. — Charles P. Pierce, Esquire, "Good Idea, Republicans. Let's See How This One Plays Out.," 8 Sep. 2017 Comey’s memos, combined with Trump’s admission, make a strong prima facie case. — Jacob Weisberg, Slate Magazine, "The Only Way Trump Gets Impeached," 19 May 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'prima facie.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for prima facie
prima facie
adjectiveEnglish Language Learners Definition of prima facie
law : based on what is known or seen when something is first considered or dealt with
See the full definition for prima facie in the English Language Learners Dictionary
prima facie
adverb
\
Legal Definition of prima facie
(Entry 1 of 2)
: at first view : on first appearance absent other information or evidence guidelines which would prima facie accredit new entrance examinations as nondiscriminatory— S. L. Lynch — compare ex facie
prima facie
adjectiveLegal Definition of prima facie (Entry 2 of 2)
: sufficient to establish a fact or case unless disproved prima facie proof a prima facie showing
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