Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

res ipsa loquitur

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.39 in modern English

Syllables: res ip-sa lo-quitur
IPA

26

Scrabble Score

15

Letters

3

Syllables

11

Unique Chars

Meaning

phrase

The import of a thing or situation is obvious.

phrase

A maxim where the very improbable facts of an accident imply the negligence of the defendant. It effectively shifts the burden of proof to the defendant.

Example Sentences

"The court in that case established three criteria that must be shown for res ipsa loquitur to apply: The injury must be the kind that ordinarily doesn't occur in the absence of some type of negligence."
"Res ipsa loquitur was frequently applied in cases involving foreign bodies in foodstuffs."

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from Latin rēs ipsa loquitur (“the thing speaks for itself”, literally “the thing itself speaks”).

Frequently Paired Words

prima facie

Synonyms

clear cut cut and dried open and shut open and shut case

Questions

What does res ipsa loquitur mean?: The import of a thing or situation is obvious.
Where does res ipsa loquitur come from?: Unadapted borrowing from Latin rēs ipsa loquitur (“the thing speaks for itself”, literally “the thing itself speaks”).

How to pronounce res ipsa loquitur

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