Prima facie
“At first sight.”
Legal term
What does “Prima facie” mean?
Prima facie translates as “At first sight.”
Based on first impression; in law, evidence that is enough to establish a fact unless it is disproved.
“Prima facie” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Prima | first | feminine ablative singular of primus, “first”; agrees with facie |
| facie | appearance, face | ablative singular of facies, “face, appearance”; the ablative here means “on” or “at” (“at first appearance”) |
How to pronounce “Prima facie”
The difference is the c in facie: a hard k sound in Classical, ch in Ecclesiastical. Stress the first syllable of prima and the first of facie; in lawyers’ English the phrase is usually said PRY-mah FAY-shee.
The story behind it
Word for word the phrase says “on the first face”, that is, “at first appearance” or “at first sight”. Facies means “face” and, by extension, outward appearance, so the phrase is about how a matter looks before it has been examined.
It is a legal term rather than a quotation from an ancient author, and it belongs to the Latin of later European law. It describes a case or a piece of evidence that looks sound on its face and is accepted unless the other side rebuts it.
Today it is mainly used in English-speaking courts and legal writing, as in a “prima facie case” or “prima facie evidence”. Outside law it turns up in everyday speech to mean “on the face of it”.
How to use “Prima facie”
Best in legal or academic writing, for example when you want to say that a claim looks convincing before it is tested. It also works as a caption or a motto for someone who values careful judgment, but it is not a poetic phrase.
- Latin
- Prima facie
- English
- At first sight.
- Source
- Legal term
- Era
- Early Modern
- Theme
- Justice
Common mistakes
- It does not mean “proven”. A prima facie case can still be defeated by evidence against it.
- It is not “primo facie” or “prima facia”: prima and facie both end in the endings shown, and facie is not an English plural.
- It is not a quotation from Cicero or any other single ancient author; it is a legal phrase of later date.
- In law it describes the strength of evidence, not first impressions in the sense of liking or disliking someone.
Questions about “Prima facie”
What does “Prima facie” mean literally?
“On the first face”, meaning “at first sight” or “on first appearance”.
What does “prima facie” mean in law?
Evidence that is enough to establish a fact or support a case unless it is disproved by the other side.
How do you pronounce “Prima facie”?
Classical Latin: PREE-mah FAH-kee-eh. Ecclesiastical: PREE-mah FAH-chee-eh. English speakers often say PRY-mah FAY-shee.
Is “Prima facie” good Latin for a tattoo?
Yes, the grammar is correct, but it is a legal term, so it suits someone who wants a reference to law or to judging things on their evidence.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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