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Glite Dictionary
ab initio

ab initio

1 9.9
From the beginning
  • idiom
  • /æb ɪˈnɪʃioʊ/
  • Formal
: 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
∞ 1.0

In the beginning before things change

means from the origin without implying later change
initially
vsab initio
429 3.2

At first, before things change

is a Latin phrase stating the same idea in formal register
to begin with
vsab initio
246 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
51 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
1 9.9
in initio
  • Jargon
9.9
from the get-go
  • Informal
51 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'.