sine qua non

[sahy-nee kwey non, kwah, sin-ey, si-ne kwah-nohn] / ˈsaɪ ni kweɪ ˈnɒn, kwɑ, ˈsɪn eɪ, ˈsɪ nɛ kwɑˈnoʊn /

NOUN

condition

Synonyms

WEAK

arrangement article catch codicil contingency demand essential exception exemption fine print kicker modification must must-have necessity need postulate precondition prerequisite provision proviso qualification requirement requisite reservation rule small print stipulation strings terms

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

This is the sine qua non of self-defense.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026

From sine qua non of American psychedelia, to folk-rock deity, jam band progenitor, disco Dead and Top 40 sensation, there was seemingly no pivot the band couldn’t navigate in its 30 years.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 3, 2023

And in gourmet circles, nettles are the sine qua non of spring greens.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 18, 2023

Lowering that temperature and finding genuine solutions to the disputes that divide us is increasingly the sine qua non of American domestic statesmanship.

From Washington Post • Mar. 1, 2023

It was as though he knew very well that in Lombard's past actions legality had not always been a sine qua non....

From "And Then There Were None" by Agatha Christie

sine qua non

Example Sentences

Related Words