This adverb was adopted at the beginning of the 17th century directly from Latin, where it translates as "from the beginning." (Initio is a form of the noun initium, meaning "beginning," which gave rise to such English words as initial, initiate, and initiative.) Ab initio most frequently appears in legal contexts, but it is not surprising to find it used outside of the courtroom.

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

Learn the definition of 'void ab initio'. Check out the pronunciation, synonyms and grammar. Browse the use examples 'void ab initio' in the great English corpus.

3 dead, ineffective, ineffectual, inoperative, invalid, nonviable, nugatory, null and void, unenforceable, useless, vain, worthless n · 4 blank, blankness, emptiness, gap, lack, opening, space, vacuity, vacuum, want vb · 5 discharge, drain, eject, eliminate (Physiology) emit, empty, evacuate · 6 abnegate, cancel, invalidate, nullify, rescind Antonyms , adj · 1 abounding, complete, filled, full, occupied, replete, tenanted · English Collins Dictionary - English synonyms & Thesaurus &nbsp

4 days ago - "Void ab initio" is often contrasted with "voidable" in futuro, such documents which become void only as of the date of a certain event or of the judicial declaration to that effect.

... This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license. The legal position was that any contract entered into beyond the power, or "ultra vires", would be deemed void "ab initio".

Synonyms for Ab-initio in Free Thesaurus. Antonyms for Ab-initio. 7 synonyms for ab initio: from the beginning, from the start, from the first, from scratch, from the word go, from first principles, initially. What are synonyms for Ab-initio?

July 7, 2025 - Void ab initio means “null from the beginning, as from the first moment when a contract is entered into,” whereas “voidable” means “valid until annulled; especially, (of a contract) capable of being affirmed or rejected at the option ...

Answer (1 of 5): Going in reverse, void ab initio means “void/invalid from the outset,” and refers to an agreement that is has no legal effect from its inception. Examples would include contracts to accomplish illegal goals, such as murder ...

Learn the void ab initio meaning in contract law, its legal consequences, and how it differs from void, voidable, and unenforceable contracts.

Answer (1 of 2): Void ab initio legal definition: * A contract that is void ab initio is a contract as if it never existed * A court’s ruling that a contract is void ab initio leads to the nullification of the contract from the day it was formed and not from the date of the court’s ruling * I...

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.

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 ...

Glossary | Practical Law

December 8, 2023 - In some cases, if a law or regulation is determined to be unconstitutional or invalid, a court may declare it void ab initio. This decision essentially erases the law from the legal landscape as if it were never enacted. “Void ab initio” is typically contrasted with “voidable” in futuro, such documents which become void only as of the date of a certain event or of the judicial declaration to that effect.

Ab initio is usually italicized because it is a Latin term that means from the beginning. Void and void ab initio have the same technical definition, but void ab initio is a stronger term that is less likely to be improperly confused with voidable.

February 28, 2025 - In Henry Ah Hoc & Another vs. The State and Another, it was held that “Void means prospectively void and void ab initio means void from its very inception, or in other words, retrospectively void, the word void as used in Article 254(1) of the Constitution.

May 5, 2025 - Discover what "void ab initio" means in law, how it differs from void and voidable contracts, and why understanding this concept is crucial for legal professionals and anyone dealing with contracts.

January 2, 2021 - The phrase void ab initio is composed of the term “void” and “ab initio”.