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Glite Dictionary
ab initio

ab initio

9.9
From the beginning
  • idiom
  • /æb ɪˈnɪʃioʊ/
  • Formal
translation icon : ab initio
  • These methods are called ab initio, or quantum molecular dynamics.
  • void ab initio
  • ab initio calculations
  • ab initio methods

Examples

  • From this result, the usefulness of our ab initio procedure for the structural refinement becomes readily apparent as a tool in correcting errors of this general type.

    Academic text (2001)

  • Now what about a theory of closed strings that AB initio starts with closed strings?

  • We now turn to methods that seek to overcome the limits on the size of the systems that can be studied ab initio.

    Academic text (1999)

  • So the AB initio potential curve enables us to calculate all of these things.

  • Ab initio calculations have long been useful in explaining experimental results and providing unique insights.

    Academic text (1999)

  • Our ab initio calculations show that this transferability hypothesis is not justified.

    Academic text (2001)

  • The principal motivation is a need for an ab initio description of the interatomic interactions whenever standard force fields do not yield reasonable results.

    Academic text (2001)

  • Legislation rejected by the NPC shall be invalid ab initio (Art 17).

    Academic text (1990)

  • Finally, only the 85 water molecules contained in a spherical shell having a radius of 2.5 Angstroms around the protein were retained in the model, and the structure of the protein was reoptimized ab initio, keeping the water molecules fixed.

    Academic text (2001)

  • The researchers conducted their study ab initio, ensuring that all variables were accounted for from the start.

Synonyms

at first
vsab initio
984 1.0

In the beginning before things change

means from the origin without implying later change
initially
vsab initio
395 3.2

At first, before things change

is a Latin phrase stating the same idea in formal register
to begin with
vsab initio
274 2.3

At the start before anything else happens

is a Latin expression used to say the same origin point
from the get-go
vsab initio
  • Informal
52 6.6

Right from the very start

is formal and comes from a Latin expression
from the word go
vsab initio
  • Informal
3 5.3

From the very beginning of something

is a formal Latin phrase meaning the same from the origin
in initio
vsab initio
  • Jargon
9.9

From the start with no legal effect

is the general Latin expression for starting from the origin

How Early

ab initio
  • Formal
9.9
in initio
  • Jargon
9.9
from the get-go
  • Informal
52 6.6

Surface Forms

ab initio positive

Morphology

ab + initio

Although 'ab initio' is a Latin borrowing rather than native English vocabulary, its meaning is directly compositional from ab = 'from' and initio = 'beginning', so the phrase literally means 'from the beginning'. Therefore, a learner who knows the constituent morphemes would readily infer the MWE's meaning; its opacity for typical B1 learners owes to unfamiliarity with Latin rather than non-compositionality.

Etymology

Ab initio comes from Latin: ab means 'from' and initio means 'the beginning'. Imagine starting a race at the very first step, so ab initio is used when something starts 'from the beginning'.