Another Word For Prima facie

Meaning

"Prima facie" is a Latin term that means "at first glance" or "on the surface." It is often used in legal contexts to refer to evidence that is sufficient to establish a fact or raise a presumption until it is rebutted or contradicted. Simply put, if something is considered prima facie, it appears to be true based on initial evidence or observations, even if further investigation may later dispute it.

Synonyms

• At first glance
• Initially
• Presumptively
• Evidently
• On the face of it

Antonyms

• Insufficient
• Inconclusive
• Unproven
• Dubious

Etymology

The term "prima facie" comes from Latin, where "prima" means "first" or "primary," and "facie" means "face." Together, they reflect the idea of initial appearance or surface level assessment.

Examples

1. The evidence presented in court was considered prima facie, leading the jury to conclude the defendant's guilt until proven otherwise.
2. The scientist observed prima facie results in her experiment, prompting her to conduct further tests for verification.
3. The reporter stated prima facie that the politician had misused funds based on the documents he had found, although further investigation was necessary to establish the truth.