facile princeps

[ fah-ki-le pring-keps; English fas-uh-lee prin-seps ]

Latin.

1. easily the first or best.

facile princeps

/ ˈfæsɪlɪ ˈprɪnsɛps /

noun

1. an obvious leader

Word History and Origins

Origin of facile princeps¹

literally: easily first

Example Sentences

Captain Richard Burton is facile princeps of modern travellers.

From Project Gutenberg

"How is it that you are able to make these great discoveries?" was once asked of Sir Isaac Newton, facile princeps of all philosophers, and the discoverer of the great law of universal gravitation.

From Project Gutenberg

In many ways the cesspool is as bad as the vault, but in some respects the vault is facile princeps as a public and private nuisance of the most annoying and dangerous character.

From Project Gutenberg

Indeed no book could adequately represent Dean Burgon's labours which did not include his apparatus criticus in that province of Textual Criticism, in which he has shewn himself so facile princeps, that no one in England, or Germany, or elsewhere, has been as yet able to come near him.

From Project Gutenberg

Among the clergymen of the Free Church, Dr. Chalmers of course is "facile princeps;" Dr. Candlish, in effectiveness and popularity probably stands next, while Drs. Cunningham, Bruce, Gordon and Buchanan, the Rev. James Begg, and one or two others form a cluster of influential and eloquent preachers.

From Project Gutenberg