ex nihilo
- idiom
- /ɛks ˈnɪhɪloʊ/
- Formal
:
ex nihilo
- Theologians have long talked about the doctrine of creatio ex nihilo, the Latin phrase signifying God's creation of the universe "out of nothing."
- ex nihilo creations
Examples
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Institutions do not come into existence ex nihilo.
Academic text (2006) -
On this account, making is an activity associated with bringing something into being ex nihilo.
Academic text (2006) -
A laborer cannot create something totally new; he cannot bring into being something ex nihilo.
Academic text (2006) -
It does not create them ex nihilo, of course.
Academic text (2006) -
It appears that they support the idea that an author is an entity capable of creating something that is almost equivalent to creation ex nihilo.
Academic text (2006) -
In copyright, while an author can write a new poem or an artist initiate a new style, these are not original creations ex nihilo; they have not exclusively originated with their creators.
Academic text (2006) -
The artist claimed that her latest sculpture was created ex nihilo, with no prior materials or inspirations.
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In philosophical debates, some argue that concepts can emerge ex nihilo, appearing without any evident influence.
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Scientists often ponder whether life could arise ex nihilo, without the influence of any existing organisms.
Synonyms
28
4.1
Suddenly and without any warning
25
5.8
Suddenly with no clear reason, like magic
Surface Forms
Morphology
ex + nihilo
The phrase is a literal Latin composition: ex = 'from/out of' and nihilo = 'nothing', so the meaning 'out of nothing' is directly derivable from the constituents. Although these are Latin words rarely known by B1 learners, if a learner does know the constituent meanings the overall sense is fully compositional and transparent.
Etymology
Ex nihilo literally puts ex 'out of' next to nihilo 'nothing', imagine a whole idea appearing on an empty page as if from nowhere; so it means 'from nothing'.