Latin term meaning "from the beginning"

Ab initio (/ˌæb ɪˈnɪʃioʊ/ AB in-ISH-ee-oh) is a Latin term meaning "from the beginning" and is derived from the Latin ab ("from") + initio, ablative singular of initium ("beginning"). Ab initio was … Wikipedia
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Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Ab_initio
Ab initio - Wikipedia
4 days ago - In law, ab initio refers to something being the case from the start or from the instant of the act rather than from when the court declared it so. For instance, the term "void ab initio" means "to be treated as invalid from the outset." E.g., in many jurisdictions, if a person signs a contract ...
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Thomsonreuters
anzlaw.thomsonreuters.com › w-027-8278
Void ab initio | KnowHow | Practical Law
A law, agreement, sale, or other action that is void has no legal effect. A void action cannot be ratified or validated. An action that is void ab initio never had any legal effect. Ab initio is usually italicized because it is a Latin term that means from the beginning.
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Wiktionary
en.wiktionary.org › wiki › ab_initio
ab initio - Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Unadapted borrowing from Latin ab initiō (“from the beginning”). ... According to Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) prescriptions, unadapted foreign words should be written in italics in a text printed in roman type, and vice versa, and in quotation marks in a manuscript text or when italics ...
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Westlaw
content.next.westlaw.com › practical-law › document › I41334c8d07ef11ebbea4f0dc9fb69570 › Void-ab-initio
Void ab initio | Practical Law
A law, agreement, sale, or other action that is void has no legal effect. A void action cannot be ratified or validated. An action that is void ab initio never had any legal effect. Ab initio is usually italicized because it is a Latin term that means from the beginning.
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Stack Exchange
mattermodeling.meta.stackexchange.com › questions › 380 › ab-initio-vs-ab-initio-when-we-cannot-use-italic-font
"ab-initio" vs "ab initio" when we cannot use Italic font? - Matter Modeling Meta Stack Exchange
(pun intended) MathJax in titles: Can we give users a warning prompt (or an error prompt) when they try this? ab initio is a Latin phrase, and the most common convention is to Italicize Latin phrases.
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Enago Academy
enago.com › reporting research › in vivo vs. in vitro: writing latin terms in your manuscript
In Vivo Vs. In Vitro: Writing Latin Terms in Your Manuscript - Enago Academy
October 10, 2023 - Unfortunately, Latin terms are used so often in scientific papers that they become cumbersome. Some style guides have since adopted a “no italics” style for many common terms. ... This is most often used in law.
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Wiktionary
en.wiktionary.org › wiki › Appendix:Glossary_of_legal_terms
Appendix:Glossary of legal terms - Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Literally "from the beginning." When an agreement is for legal reasons void ab initio, it is void for all purposes throughout the period of its purported existence, and not merely from the moment that it is declared to have been void by the Court. When a man enters upon lands or into the house ...
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Sklaw
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Void ab initio - Law Dictionary
March 17, 2023 - Void means without legal effect. Ab initio is a Latin term meaning “from the beginning”. Void ab initio, therefore, means an action that never had legal effect.
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Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Void_(law)
Void (law) - Wikipedia
February 9, 2025 - An action, document, or transaction which is void is of no legal effect whatsoever: an absolute nullity—the law treats it as if it had never existed or happened. The term void ab initio, which means "to be treated as invalid from the outset", comes from adding the Latin phrase ab initio (from ...
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UpCounsel
upcounsel.com › void-ab-initio-agreement
Check out this article...Void Ab Initio Meaning and Its Impact on Contracts
A void ab initio agreement is Latin for "void from the beginning." This means that legally, a contract was void as soon as it was created. The parties of the contract are not legally related based on what was written in the agreement because ...
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Cornell Law School
law.cornell.edu › lii › wex › ab initio
ab initio | Wex | US Law | LII / Legal Information Institute
Ab initio is a Latin term that means "from the beginning” or “from inception.” Ab initio is used to indicate that some fact existed from the start of a relevant time period.
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LegalClarity
legalclarity.org › what-does-void-ab-initio-mean-in-legal-terms
What Does Void Ab Initio Mean in Legal Terms? - LegalClarity
July 17, 2025 - The legal phrase “void ab initio” is Latin for “void from the beginning.” When a court declares an action, document, or agreement void ab initio, it means the item was never legally valid.
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Sivo
blog.sivo.it.com › home › legal terminology › what is void ab initio?
What is void ab initio? | Legal Terminology – Sivo
August 1, 2025 - The term "void ab initio" is a Latin phrase that literally translates to "from the beginning." In a legal context, it signifies that an agreement, contract, marriage, or other legal act is treated as if it were never valid, lacking any legal standing or enforceability from its inception.
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Westlaw
content.next.westlaw.com › Glossary › PracticalLaw › I41334c8d07ef11ebbea4f0dc9fb69570
Glossary | Practical Law - Legal Resources & Know-How for Professionals
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LawBhoomi
lawbhoomi.com › home › void ab initio meaning
Void Ab Initio Meaning
June 5, 2025 - The Latin phrase void ab initio translates directly to “void from the beginning.” In legal terms, it means that the document, act, or agreement in question was never valid, even from the moment it was created or executed.
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UpCounsel
upcounsel.com › ab-initio-definition-law
Check out this article...Ab Initio Meaning in Law: Definition, Usage, and Examples
The use of ab initio can be traced back to Roman law, where the term was employed to emphasize the voidness of contracts or actions from inception. In historical contexts, this principle allowed courts to render acts or agreements as non-existent if they violated foundational legal principles.
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RunSensible
runsensible.com › dictionary of legal terms › ab initio
Ab Initio - RunSensible
December 8, 2023 - “Ab initio” is a Latin term ... When a contract, statute, or legal provision is said to be void ab initio, it means that it is treated as if it never existed or had any legal effect....
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Publiccontractinginstitute
publiccontractinginstitute.com › void-ab-initio-2
VOID AB INITIO - Public Contracting Institute - Government Contracts Training
This remedy is necessary when a contractor materially misrepresents information in its offer due to the potential “injury to the public interest by actions which compromise the integrity of the government contracting practice.” A contract is void ab initio, which is essentially the same as the common law defense of fraud in the inducement, which may be established either by proof of fraud or material misrepresentation.