sine qua non

[sahy-nee kwey non, kwah, sin-ey, si-ne kwah-nohn] / ˈsaɪ ni kweɪ ˈnɒn, kwɑ, ˈsɪn eɪ, ˈsɪ nɛ kwɑˈnoʊn /

NOUN

condition

Synonyms

WEAK

arrangement article catch codicil contingency demand essential exception exemption fine print kicker modification must must-have necessity need postulate precondition prerequisite provision proviso qualification requirement requisite reservation rule small print stipulation strings terms

Example Sentences

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sine qua non

This is the sine qua non of self-defense.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 12, 2026

From sine qua non of American psychedelia, to folk-rock deity, jam band progenitor, disco Dead and Top 40 sensation, there was seemingly no pivot the band couldn’t navigate in its 30 years.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2023

“Ernest & Celestine: A Trip to Gibberitia” is the gem of a sequel to that Oscar-nominated film, centering the story this time around on music as the sine qua non of community.

From New York Times ● Aug. 31, 2023

And in gourmet circles, nettles are the sine qua non of spring greens.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 18, 2023

It was as though he knew very well that in Lombard's past actions legality had not always been a sine qua non....

From "And Then There Were None" by Agatha Christie

sine qua non

Example Sentences

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