Synonyms

per se

American

[pur sey, see, per] / pɜr ˈseɪ, ˈsi, pər /

adverb

by, of, for, or in itself; intrinsically.

This candidate is not a pacifist per se, but he is in favor of peaceful solutions when practicable.

Synonyms:

fundamentally, indigenously, inherently, innately

per se British

/ ˈpɜː ˈseɪ /

adverb

by or in itself; intrinsically

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of per se

First recorded in 1565–75; from Latin per sē “by itself,” translation of Greek kath’ autó

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

And now he said he would say: "You're wrong, you don't know the human spirit, you don't know racing drivers per se, we are a very rare breed and very determined."

From BBC

What a relic, which wasn’t intended to manage a trade deficit per se.

From The Wall Street Journal

He said that the Commission was not against reward programmes per se, but that online platform algorithms were "often opaque".

From BBC

This wasn't depression per se, but a condition known as pathological apathy that Patrick describes as feeling like "floating through time" without solid ground.

From BBC

Driving the F-250 around town doesn’t make me feel any more superior, per se.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023