Word
qua
US/ˈkwɑ/
UK/kwˈæ/
Definition
prep. used to show that someone or something is being treated in a specific way or for a specific reason. You use it when you want to highlight a particular role or quality.
prep. used to indicate a specific capacity, role, or quality in which a person or thing is being considered. Often used in philosophical or legal contexts to distinguish between different aspects of a subject.
Examples
“The legal team argued that the defendant should be considered not as a criminal, but qua a minor, which would significantly alter the sentencing guidelines applied to the case.”
Examples
complex
“The legal team argued that the defendant should be considered not as a criminal, but qua a minor, which would significantly alter the sentencing guidelines applied to the case.”
Etymology
From Latin quā (“in the capacity of”).
Imitative.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/qua