‖ [ L. a (ab) + prior former. ]
A priori, that is, from these necessities of the mind or forms of thinking, which, though first revealed to us by experience, must yet have preëxisted in order to make experience possible. Coleridge. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. [ Cf. F. apriorisme. ] An a priori principle. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. The quality of being innate in the mind, or prior to experience; a priori reasoning. [ 1913 Webster ]
a. [ L. prior former, previous, better, superior; compar. corresponding to primus first, and pro for. See Former, and cf. Prime, a., and Pre-, Pro-. ]
n. [ OE. priour, OF. priour, prior, priur, F. prieur, from L. prior former, superior. See Prior, a. ]
Conventical prior,
Conventual prior
Claustral prior,
n. a prior conviction; -- said of an accused criminal. [ informal ] [ PJC ]
n. [ LL. prioratus: cf. F. priorat. ] The dignity, office, or government, of a prior. T. Warton. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. [ OF. prioresse. ] A lady superior of a priory of nuns, and next in dignity to an abbess. [ 1913 Webster ]
v. t. To order or rank (a list of tasks) according to priority; to assign a priorities to. [ WordNet 1.5 ]
n. [ Cf. F. priorité. See Prior, a. ]
Priority of debts,
adv. Previously. [ R. ] Geddes. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. The state or office of prior; priorate. [ 1913 Webster ]
n.;
☞ Of such houses there were two sorts: one where the prior was chosen by the inmates, and governed as independently as an abbot in an abbey; the other where the priory was subordinate to an abbey, and the prior was placed or displaced at the will of the abbot. [ 1913 Webster ]
Alien priory,
n. [ Pref. sub + prior: cf. F. sous-prieur. ] (Eccl.) The vicegerent of a prior; a claustral officer who assists the prior. [ 1913 Webster ]