What does Prius mean?

senectus · 03-03-2005, 05:42 PM

Does the name "Prius" actually mean anything?
How did Toyota come upon the name.. anyone know?

ammiels · 03-03-2005, 06:00 PM

Boy are you about to be enlightened!
Prius is latin and means 'to go before" as such it is an adverb and not a noun.
The big argument comes in what do you call two of them. A lot of people will say Prii using the Hippopotamus logic. Others will say Priuses because it isn't Greek anyway. The real Mavens will come in with the Latin they learned in school with a whole raft of declensions, and yet others will since it ain't a noun all you can say is 1 Prius, 2 Prius. What do you call two "before"s

pkjohna · 03-03-2005, 06:01 PM

Prius Definition

I've heard it said many times that "Prius" means "to go before" like a verb but according to the link above it's actually an adverb. And that of course begs the question of how one would pluralize an adverb!

senectus · 03-03-2005, 06:02 PM

In the same way that you would have 1 Marcus, 2 Marcus...

Cool.. thanks for that :-D

Now is it "Pree-us" or "Pry-us" ?
;-)

hdrygas · 03-03-2005, 06:04 PM

Latin to go before that is why you will see Prii the latin plural around. My brother in law the classics major in college says both i s are pronounced. He know more than me any one who can read the Iliad and Caesar in the original I will bow to on this subject.

Sufferin' Prius Envy · 03-03-2005, 07:15 PM

Prius is a clever name - very descriptive of what this car is all about.

Kind of like the Chevy Nova ("no va" is Spanish for “it does not go.”)

KMO · 03-03-2005, 07:18 PM

According to that site, it's also a third declension neuter noun or adjective. The plural of "prius" as either would be "priora". The common (masculine or feminine) form of the adjective is "prior", with plural "priores". You may have also come across the noun "prius" in its dative singular form in the familiar phrase "a priori".

"Prii" is incorrect - that would be the plural formation if it was a first declension masculine noun, which it isn't.

So the phrase "Toyota Prius" could potentially, if it was latin, mean "the leading Toyota" or "the Toyota in front". Doesn't agree in gender though - Toyota wouldn't a neuter noun, it'd be feminine, so it would have to be "Toyota Prior".

Of course, it's not really a Latin word in this context, so Priuses will do fine.

hdrygas · 03-03-2005, 09:20 PM

OK let me insert one other idea in here. English adopts words and can and will change the word from adjective to noun or verb. English has always done this. So we take in Prius and make it a noun. So what sort of noun is it now. I have to say I have no idea. Advanced grammar is beyond a dyslexic. Let the games begin. God I love this language, and hate it.

bookrats · 03-03-2005, 10:46 PM

It's like SHAZAM:

Planet-friendly
Reliable
Innovative
Unavailabe

Smart Choice

03-03-2005, 05:42 PM	#1
senectus Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 111 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	What does Prius mean? Does the name "Prius" actually mean anything? How did Toyota come upon the name.. anyone know?

03-03-2005, 06:00 PM	#2
ammiels Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: brewster, ny Posts: 121 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Re: What does Prius mean? Boy are you about to be enlightened! Prius is latin and means 'to go before" as such it is an adverb and not a noun. The big argument comes in what do you call two of them. A lot of people will say Prii using the Hippopotamus logic. Others will say Priuses because it isn't Greek anyway. The real Mavens will come in with the Latin they learned in school with a whole raft of declensions, and yet others will since it ain't a noun all you can say is 1 Prius, 2 Prius. What do you call two "before"s __________________ Peace, Ammiel

03-03-2005, 06:01 PM	#3
pkjohna Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Falls Church, VA Posts: 231 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Re: What does Prius mean? Prius Definition I've heard it said many times that "Prius" means "to go before" like a verb but according to the link above it's actually an adverb. And that of course begs the question of how one would pluralize an adverb!

03-03-2005, 06:02 PM	#4
senectus Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 111 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Re: What does Prius mean? In the same way that you would have 1 Marcus, 2 Marcus... Cool.. thanks for that :-D Now is it "Pree-us" or "Pry-us" ? ;-)

03-03-2005, 06:04 PM	#5
hdrygas Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Olympia Wa Posts: 3,650 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: #9 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Re: What does Prius mean? Latin to go before that is why you will see Prii the latin plural around. My brother in law the classics major in college says both i s are pronounced. He know more than me any one who can read the Iliad and Caesar in the original I will bow to on this subject.

03-03-2005, 07:15 PM	#6
Sufferin' Prius Envy Platinum Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sacramento Posts: 3,815 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #4 Nominated 15 Times in 1 Post TOTM Awards: 1 Friends: 0	Re: What does Prius mean? Prius is a clever name - very descriptive of what this car is all about. Kind of like the Chevy Nova ("no va" is Spanish for “it does not go.”)

03-03-2005, 07:18 PM	#7
KMO Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Cambridge, UK Posts: 898 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: T Spirit Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	According to that site, it's also a third declension neuter noun or adjective. The plural of "prius" as either would be "priora". The common (masculine or feminine) form of the adjective is "prior", with plural "priores". You may have also come across the noun "prius" in its dative singular form in the familiar phrase "a priori". "Prii" is incorrect - that would be the plural formation if it was a first declension masculine noun, which it isn't. So the phrase "Toyota Prius" could potentially, if it was latin, mean "the leading Toyota" or "the Toyota in front". Doesn't agree in gender though - Toyota wouldn't a neuter noun, it'd be feminine, so it would have to be "Toyota Prior". Of course, it's not really a Latin word in this context, so Priuses will do fine.

03-03-2005, 09:20 PM	#8
hdrygas Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Olympia Wa Posts: 3,650 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: #9 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Re: What does Prius mean? OK let me insert one other idea in here. English adopts words and can and will change the word from adjective to noun or verb. English has always done this. So we take in Prius and make it a noun. So what sort of noun is it now. I have to say I have no idea. Advanced grammar is beyond a dyslexic. Let the games begin. God I love this language, and hate it.

03-03-2005, 10:46 PM	#9
bookrats Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 2,843 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	It's like SHAZAM: Planet-friendly Reliable Innovative Unavailabe Smart Choice