Definition of "prima facie" []

• At first sight; before closer inspection: They had, prima facie, a legitimate complaint. (adverb)
• True, authentic, or adequate at first sight; ostensible: prima facie credibility. (adjective)
• Evident without proof or reasoning; obvious: a prima facie violation of the treaty. (adjective)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "The public mind at such a moment falls into the old medieval confusion – he who feeds or shelters a heretic is upon prima facie evidence a heretic himself – he who knows intimately people among whom anarchists arise is therefore an"
• "Philistines-from Caphtor, "(Amos 9: 7) and" the remnant of the maritime district of Caphtor "(Jeremiah 47: 4) it is prima facie probable that they were the Caphtorim which came out of Caphtor" who expelled the Avim from their territory and occupied it; in their place, (2: 23) and that these again were the Caphtorim mentioned in the Mosaic genealogical table among the descendants of Mizraim."
• "When the Cumberland's papers were examined by Decaen's officers, and these despatches were read and translated, there was at once a prima facie ground for saying, “this officer is not engaged on purely scientific work; he is the bearer of despatches which might if delivered have an influence upon the present war.”"