Make Your Point > Archived Issues > A PRIORI & A POSTERIORI

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pronounce A PRIORI: Several ways to say both of these terms are recognized. For "a priori," I say "OP re OR ee." To hear it, click here. pronounce A POSTERIORI: I say this one "OP oast ear ee OR ee." To hear it, click here. connect these words to others: As we check out the Latin phrases a priori ("from what came before") and a posteriori ("from what came after"), see if you can recall a similar-looking phrase that means "from (a position of) strength." It's a f___iori. We use this one to mean "even more so" or "even truer." For example, "Don't use fancy Latin phrases in casual conversation, or, a f___iori, in an argument with your significant other." (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.) definition: The guy on the right has never tried green eggs and ham, but he dislikes them. How can he even know that? He dislikes them a priori, or before having any experience with them. After trying them, he realizes he does like them. He likes them a posteriori, or after having some experience. Let's define those terms a bit more fully. "A priori" is a Latin phrase meaning "from [what comes] first." In English, we use it to mean beforehand, or before having any experience with something. And, we use it to mean based on theory instead of fact, observation, or experience. And, we use it to describe the kind of thinking or reasoning that moves from the cause to the effect.  Its opposite is "a posteriori." This one literally means "from [what comes] after." We use it mean afterward; or based on fact, observation, or experience instead of theory. We also use it to describe the kind of thinking or reasoning that moves from the effect to the cause. grammatical bits: Part of speech: These terms are often adverbs: "They guessed a priori;" "It was demonstrated a posteriori." They can also be adjectives: "It was an a priori guess;" "It was an a posteriori demonstration." Other forms:  Sometimes you'll see these phrases italicized: "They guessed a priori." "It was an a posteriori demonstration." You might do this for clarity, or to follow the rules of whatever style guide you're using. I'll stick with regular text for these, since many writers and publications do that these days. how to use them: These terms are fancy and scholarly, with a philosophical tone, so it's best to use them in formal, serious settings. I think you'll find much more use for "a priori" compared to "a posteriori," so we'll give it more of our focus in this issue. "A priori" is also the more common of the two. Relatively speaking. They're both rare. To use the adverbs, talk about people doing, thinking, guessing, knowing, assuming, or understanding things a priori (or a posteriori). And to use the adjectives, which are slightly less formal than the adverbs, talk about a priori (or a posteriori) thoughts, ideas, guesses, knowledge, assumptions, preferences, understanding, or reasoning. examples: "So I don't want to get pigeonholed as... someone who believes that one kind of movie is a priori better than another. Thinking in categories — high and low, trash and art, entertaining and 'serious' — is a shortcut and an obstacle."     — A.O. Scott, New York Times, 17 June 2011 "I asked five of the Nobel laureates about their prizewinning work, and all but one had been discouraged from undertaking it... Most great achievements appear foolish a priori, including saving humanity from itself."    — Martin E. Hellman, Scientific American, 18 August 2019 has this page helped you understand "a priori" and "a posteriori"? Awesome, I'm glad it helped! Thanks for letting me know! If you have any questions about this word, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. study them: Explain the meaning of "a priori" without saying "from the get-go" or "before the fact." And, explain the meaning of "a posteriori" without saying "based on experience" or "after the fact." try one out: The phrase "a priori" can sometimes be a quick, elegant substitute for a longer one like "before we even think about it," "before we even look at particulars," or "before we even make any choices or take any actions." Check out two examples in a row from Joshua P. Howe, for Scientific American: "In the case of the environment, the health of an ecosystem or an endangered organism a priori takes precedence over the potential economic benefit of a dam or a factory. In the case of COVID-19, mitigating illness and death a priori takes precedence over other priorities of daily life." Use Howe's examples as a model for your own statement: "(One thing) a priori takes precedence over (another thing)." If you like, use this space to write. (To save your work, copy and paste it into an email or a document.) before you review, play: Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out. Our game this month is Crossword Clues: Movie Titles!  Use the movie title as a clue to come up with a word we've studied. For example, if the clue is "The Great Escape. 6 letters. _ E C _ M _," then the answer is "DECAMP," a word meaning "to get the heck out of there." To see the answer, scroll all the way down. Enjoy! Try this one today: To Have and Have Not. 9 letters.  D _ _ _ O _ _ _ Y. review this word: 1. A PRIORI and A POSTERIORI are precise opposites. But a pretty close opposite of A POSTERIORI is A. PRIOR TO ANY GROWTH. B. PRIOR TO ANY HARDSHIP. C. PRIOR TO ANY EXPERIENCE. 2. Reportedly, the writer David Foster Wallace felt nervous whenever he spoke at public events. He wrote to a friend that those events "_____." A. a priori honesty B. are a priori impossible to be honest at C. are impossible to be honest or even a priori at Answers to review questions: 1. C 2. B Answer to the game question:  DICHOTOMY. a final word: I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From my blog:    36 ways to study words.    Why we forget words, & how to remember them.    How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.