Prius

See also: prius

English

Etymology

From Latin prius, neuter of prior (“prior, previous”). According to Toyota, the name can be interpreted as a reference to there never being a mass-produced hybrid car prior to it.[1]

Noun

Prius (plural Priuses or Prii)

  1. Ellipsis of Toyota Prius, a compact/small family liftback (supermini/subcompact sedan until 2003) produced by Toyota.
    Hypernym: Toyota
    • 2006, Sarah Lassez with Gian Sardar, “And She’s Down for the Count!”, in Psychic Junkie: A Memoir, New York, N.Y.: Simon Spotlight Entertainment, →ISBN, page 224:
      Also, whereas in L.A. you could step out your front door, whisper “I’m going to slash the tires of your Prius,” and within seconds about thirty neighbors would be calling the cops in an effort to protect their Prii, that would never happen at the ranch. The ranch was completely isolated. Our nearest neighbor was a good half hour drive away.
    • 2012 May, Paul Ingrassia, “Introduction”, in Engines of Change: A History of the American Dream in Fifteen Cars, New York, N.Y.: Simon & Schuster, →ISBN, page xviii:
      I drove Priuses in Michigan, Jeeps through Colorado, and pickup trucks around the Texas Hill Country and Midtown Manhattan, feeling right at home in the former and like an alien invader in the latter.
    • 2013 June, Porter Gale, “Give Give Get: Why It’s the Real Networking Secret”, in Your Network Is Your Net Worth: Unlock the Hidden Power of Connections for Wealth, Success, and Happiness in the Digital Age, New York, N.Y.: Atria Books, →ISBN, page 69:
      The parking lot was a zoo of suburban moms with their Starbucks cups commandeering their Prii (the Toyota-approved plural of Prius) and SUVs into empty spots.
    • 2015, M. I. Lastman, “Not so gai”, in Rocky Mountain Locust: Opus II, Quartet: A Novel, Victoria, B.C.: FriesenPress, →ISBN, part 4 (Caroline), page 104:
      The two Prii that we found were probably the last to be driven.
    • 2015 January, Levi Tillemann, “Challenging the Big Green Monster”, in The Great Race: The Global Quest for the Car of the Future, New York, N.Y.: Simon & Schuster, →ISBN, part II (Leapfrog), page 151:
      A PR agency had even contacted Toyota to procure five Priuses (or Prii, as Toyota calls them) for the Oscars—allowing environmentally conscious celebrities to eschew their ostentatious limousines for Toyota’s fuel-sipping green machine. […] Car and Driver mocked the display of “pop royalty . . . Meryl Streep, Ted Danson (who made his fortune leading a gang of pathetic boozers in the alcohol-soaked sitcom Cheers), the serially deranged Richard Dreyfuss, and Jeff Goldblum” cavorting around in their Prii.
    • 2017, Laura Dave, chapter 17, in Hello, Sunshine: A Novel, New York, N.Y.: Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, published June 2018, →ISBN, page 93:
      It was more quietly fancy, drawing in the kind of wealthy people who thought they were better than their counterparts because instead of spending money on fancy cars, they spent it on their Priuses and perfectly done cottages filled with shabby chic furnishings.
    • 2017, Tim Walker, chapter 16, in Smoke Over Malibu, London: William Heinemann, →ISBN, part 2 (The Villain’s Lair), page 133:
      Most of the players grabbed their kitbags and made for their Priuses, but my partner gulped long and deep from a litre of Gatorade and strolled my way, rubbing the sweat from his brow.

Usage notes

  • In February 2011, Toyota USA asked the US public to decide on what the most proper plural form of Prius should be, with choices including Prien, Prii, Prium, Prius, or Priuses. The company announced on 20 February that Prii was the most popular choice, and the new official plural designation in the US.[2]

References

  1. ^ Toyota (21 February 2020) “Toyota names of models – what they mean”, in Toyota UK Magazine‎[1], archived from the original on 1 March 2021: “Prius is Latin for ‘prior’ or ‘previous’. Its name can be interpreted as a reference to the fact that at the Prius’ Japan launch in 1997, there had never been a mass-produced hybrid car prior to it.”
  2. ^ Toyota (20 February 2011) “Toyota Announces the Plural of Prius”, in Toyota USA Newsroom‎[2], archived from the original on 11 July 2019: “Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), USA, Inc. today announced that the general public has selected ‘Prii’ as the preferred plural term for Prius.”

Further reading

  • bobobobo (12 January 2011) “What is the plural of Prius?”, in English Language & Usage (Stack Exchange)‎[3].
  • Colin Bird (21 February 2011) “Plural of Prius, Prii? Not According to Latin Experts”, in Cars.com‎[4], archived from the original on 13 May 2019.
  • Stef Schrader (19 January 2018) “The Plural Of Prius Is Actually 'Prii,' According To Toyota”, in Jalopnik‎[5], Indianapolis, Ind.: Static Media, archived from the original on 20 January 2018.
  • Mercedes Streeter (15 February 2023) “Is The Plural Of Prius Prii, Priora or Prioraiiusesodes?: Comment Of The Yesterday”, in The Autopian‎[6], archived from the original on 16 February 2023.
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