Back to all words

Sine qua non

2 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means an essential condition without which something cannot happen
1
Stage 1 of 2
sine qua non
Latin · ancient
"without which not"
without which not, from sine (without), qua (which), and non (not)
2
Stage 2 of 2
sine qua non
English · 1600s
"an essential, indispensable condition"
adopted directly into English for an indispensable condition
Drag to pan · scroll to zoom