a priori (adjective), more a priori, most a priori
1. A reference to going from a general principle or conception to a particular effect or result.
2. Pertaining to something that happens in advance without previous investigation or experience.
2. Relating to something that is considered to be possible, but without an examination, analysis, or proof.
3. Etymology: from Medieval Latin, "from something that comes before or first"; Latin a-, ab-, "from, away from" + prior, "former".
2. Pertaining to something that happens in advance without previous investigation or experience.
2. Relating to something that is considered to be possible, but without an examination, analysis, or proof.
3. Etymology: from Medieval Latin, "from something that comes before or first"; Latin a-, ab-, "from, away from" + prior, "former".
1. Belief in, or reliance upon, reasoning, arguments, or principles: Apriorism is the doctrine that knowledge rests upon principles that are self-evident to reason or are presupposed by experience in general.
2. A philosophical belief that knowledge is based on general principles which may be used to evaluate experience.
2. A philosophical belief that knowledge is based on general principles which may be used to evaluate experience.
Someone who believes in, or relies upon, reasoning, arguments, or principles.
aprioristic (adjective), more aprioristic, most aprioristic
Based on a priori principles.
aprioristically (adverb), more aprioristically, most aprioristically
1. From a general law to a particular instance; valid independently of observation.
2. Existing in the mind prior to and independent of experience, as a faculty or character trait.
3. Not based on prior study or examination; nonanalytic: "He made an a priori judgment."
2. Existing in the mind prior to and independent of experience, as a faculty or character trait.
3. Not based on prior study or examination; nonanalytic: "He made an a priori judgment."
The term a posteriori has the opposite meaning: from particular instances to a general principle or law; based upon actual observation or upon experimental data and not existing in the mind prior to an experience.
1. Earlier in time or sequence: When Jasper invited Mary to his birthday party, she responded by saying, "Sorry, I would love to go, but I have a prior engagement."
2. More important or basic.
3. Before someone or something in time:Prior to her going to New York, she was in Berlin, Germany.
4. An officer in a monastery of a rank below an abbot.
5. A man who is superior in some religious communities.
6. A senior magistrate in some medieval Italian republics; especially, in Florence.
7. Etymology: from Medieval Latin prior, "superior officer or official".
2. More important or basic.
3. Before someone or something in time:Prior to her going to New York, she was in Berlin, Germany.
4. An officer in a monastery of a rank below an abbot.
5. A man who is superior in some religious communities.
6. A senior magistrate in some medieval Italian republics; especially, in Florence.
7. Etymology: from Medieval Latin prior, "superior officer or official".
prior (adjective), more prior, most prior
1. In legal use, something else may take precedence or be ranked as more important: Samuel was told that there is a prior claim to the estate that he wanted to buy.
Marilyn was told that if her prior marriage was legally dissolved, then her second one is legal.
2. Etymology: from Latin prior, "former, previous, first"; figuratively, "superior, better".
The head of a religious order; in an abbey the prior is next below the abbot.
1. A nun in charge of a priory or ranking next below the abbess of an abbey.
2. A religious house governed by a prior or prioress, often dependent upon an abbey.
2. A religious house governed by a prior or prioress, often dependent upon an abbey.
prioritize, prioritise (British) (verb), prioritizes; prioritized; prioritizing
1. To arrange or to do in order of priority: "We were learning to prioritize our assignments."
2. To give a high priority to.
3. To organize or deal with something according to its priority.
2. To give a high priority to.
3. To organize or deal with something according to its priority.
1. Someone or something that is ranked highly in terms of importance or urgency: The supervisor told Harry that it is essential that he gets his priorities right.
4. The situation of having preceded something.
Harry replied that the new project has priority over all of the others.
3. The right to be ranked above others.4. The situation of having preceded something.
priority (adjective), more priority, most priority
The state of having most importance or urgency: The judge wanted to give this case priority treatment.
The office of a prior.
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