ex facie
/ɛks ˈfeɪʃi.iː/
adjective / adverb
Origin
Latin
ex + facies — from (ex) + face/appearance (facies)
Overview
Meaning Now
- From the face of the document; apparent on the surface of a document or record without the need for further evidence or interpretation.
- Obvious or manifest from the text itself.
Literal older meaning
from the face
Language path
Latin → English
Earliest form
ex facie
Earliest period
17th century
Journey
The term is a hallmark of Latinate legal terminology used in common law jurisdictions. It signifies that a document speaks for itself and its validity or invalidity is apparent without the need for extrinsic evidence or testimony.
Evolution
- Classical Latin
ex facie
“from the face or appearance”
- 17th Century Legal Latin
ex facie
“appearing upon the face of a deed or record”
Adopted into technical legal parlance
Connections
Word parts
ex
prefix
out of, from
facie
root
face, appearance (ablative of facies)
Related across languages
French
en face
opposite, facing
Italian
facciata
facade
Explore next
Related to ex facie
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.