Prima Facie

C1 16+

Pronunciation: /ˈpraɪmə ˈfeɪʃi/

Definitions of prima facie

noun a legal term that refers to evidence that is sufficient to establish a fact or raise a presumption of fact unless rebutted

Example Sentences

A1 The judge made a decision based on prima facie evidence.

A2 The police arrested the suspect based on prima facie evidence.

B1 The prosecutor presented prima facie evidence to the jury.

B2 The defense attorney challenged the prima facie case against their client.

C1 The prima facie case against the defendant was strong.

C2 The prima facie evidence was enough to convict the defendant.

adjective used to describe evidence or arguments that are sufficient on their face and do not require further proof

Example Sentences

A1 The prima facie evidence suggested that the suspect was guilty.

A2 The police had prima facie evidence to arrest the suspect.

B1 The prima facie case presented by the prosecution seemed convincing.

B2 The judge ruled that there was prima facie evidence to proceed with the trial.

C1 The prima facie assessment of the situation indicated a need for further investigation.

C2 The prima facie conclusion drawn by the experts was later confirmed by additional evidence.

Examples of prima facie in a Sentence

formal The evidence presented is prima facie and suggests the defendant's guilt.

informal At first glance, it seems like the defendant is guilty based on the evidence.

slang Looks like the defendant is in trouble, judging by the evidence.

figurative The surface-level evidence paints a clear picture of the defendant's involvement.

Grammatical Forms of prima facie

past tense

prima facied

plural

prima facies

comparative

more prima facie

superlative

most prima facie

present tense

prima facies

future tense

will prima facie

perfect tense

have prima facied

continuous tense

prima facieing

singular

prima facie

positive degree

prima facie

infinitive

to prima facie

gerund

prima facieing

participle

prima facied

Origin and Evolution of prima facie

First Known Use: 1601 year
Language of Origin: Latin
Story behind the word: The term 'prima facie' originates from Latin, where 'prima' means 'first' and 'facie' means 'face' or 'sight'. It was used in Roman law to refer to evidence that is sufficient to establish a fact or prove a case at first glance.
Evolution of the word: Over time, 'prima facie' has been adopted into English legal terminology to indicate evidence that is sufficient to establish a fact unless disproved. It is commonly used in legal contexts to refer to evidence that is plausible or credible on its face, without further investigation.