English

Alternative forms

• sine quâ non [18^th C–present]

Noun

sine qua non ‎(plural sine qua nons or sine quibus non)

1. An essential or indispensable element, condition, or ingredient.
   • 1702, G[iles] D[uncombe], Tryals per Pais: or, the Law of England Concerning Juries by Nisi Prius, &c. Newly Revised, and much Enlarged, with an Addition of Precedents, and Forms of Challenges, Demurrers upon Evidence, Bills of Exception, Pleas Puis le Darrein Continuance, &c. The Fourth Edition with Large Additions. To which is now Added, a farther Treatise of Evidence. Together with a New and Exact Table to the whole Matter. Very Useful and Necessary for all Lawyers, Attornies and other Practisers, especially at the Assises, 4th edition, London: Printed by the Assigns of Rich. and Edw. Atknis [sic: Atkins], Esquires, for J. Walthoe in Middle-Temple Cloysters, OCLC 642325194, page 30:

     [A] Venire facias is the foundation and Cauſa ſine qua non, of a Jury (I mean in Civil Causes; for in Criminals, as upon Indictments, the Justices of Gaol-Delivery, give a general Command to Sheriff, to cauſe the Country to come against their coming, and take the Pannels of the Sheriff, without any Proceſs directed to him; yet Proceſs may be made againſt the Jury, though it is not much uſed. […])

   • 2000, A. Przeworski, M. Alvarez, J. Cheibub, F. Limongi, Democracy and Development (Cambridge University Press), page 34:

     […] whereas some degree of political freedom is a sine qua non condition for contestation, democracy cannot be sufficiently defined in terms of "liberties" […]

Synonyms

• (essential or element): prerequisite

Translations

References

1. ↑ “sine qua non” in Dictionary.com Unabridged, v1.0.1, Lexico Publishing Group, 2006.

Portuguese

Adjective

sine qua non ‎(plural sine qua non, comparable)

1. (of a prerequisite) indispensable