prima facie

/ˈpri.ma ˈfa.ki.e/

//ˈpri.ma ˈfa.ki.e// phrase

The verdict

“prima facie” is uncommon Spanish (outside the top frequency list), classed as a phrase. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency Spanish
11
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A primera vista, a simple vista.

Corpus desk

Index ES-prima-facie · prima facie · Spanish

prima facie · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-MEGA 11 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "P" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for prima facie
PropertyValue
Headwordprima facie
LanguageSpanish
Part of speechPhrase
IPA/ˈpri.ma ˈfa.ki.e/
Letters11
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Cola larga: rango de “prima facie” en español

prima faciequeda fuera de las 100.000 palabras españolas más frecuentes, en la cola larga de vocabulario técnico, arcaico o raro, justo donde más se duda de la ortografía.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

prima facie is uncommon Spanish outside the top frequency list, classed as aphrase, transcribed /ˈpri.ma ˈfa.ki.e/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for prima facie, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

This headword's origin isn't recorded in our source data, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct Spanish form is prima facie, spelled P-R-I-M-A- -F-A-C-I-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A primera vista, a simple vista.
  2. 2
    Aparentemente, por lo que se ve.

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "prima facie"?
"prima facie" is spelled P-R-I-M-A- -F-A-C-I-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈpri.ma ˈfa.ki.e/.
What does "prima facie" mean?
As a phrase, "prima facie" means: A primera vista, a simple vista.
How do you pronounce "prima facie"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "prima facie" is /ˈpri.ma ˈfa.ki.e/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "prima facie" come from?
"prima facie" is a Spanish word. PlainSpell covers definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list