petitio principii

The story

1. Ancient Greek · derived fromτὸ ἐν ἀρχῇ αἰτεῖσθαι“to assume from the beginning”
2. Latin · derived frompetītiō prīncipiī
3. English todaypetitio principii

From Latin petītiō prīncipiī (literally “an assumption from the beginning”), calque of Ancient Greek τὸ ἐν ἀρχῇ αἰτεῖσθαι (tò en arkhēî aiteîsthai, “to assume from the beginning”).

Words from the same roots