De Facto Definition

dĭ făktō, dā
adjective
Existing in actuality, especially when contrary to or not established by law.
De facto segregation; a de facto government.
American Heritage
In fact. Description of a person or action that exists for all intentions and purposes, but which lacks official legitimacy.
Webster's New World Law
The definition of de facto is something real, but not formally accepted.
An example of something de facto is a rule that people always follow even though it is not an official procedure, a defacto procedure.
An example of something de facto is a person who functions as a parent even though they are not related to the child, a defactor parent.
YourDictionary
In fact or in practice; in actual use or existence, regardless of official or legal status. (Often opposed to de jure.)
Although the United States currently has no official language, it is largely monolingual with English being the de facto national language.
Wiktionary
Antonyms:
noun
Existing or being such in actual fact or for all practical purposes, though not by legal establishment, official recognition, etc.
A de facto government.
Webster's New World
(Australia, New Zealand) A legally undeclared spouse.
Wiktionary
Advertisement
adverb
De facto is defined as actually.
An example of de facto used as an adverb is in the phrase "de facto listening" which means actually listening.
YourDictionary
(modal) In practice; in actual use or existence, regardless of official or legal status.
Wiktionary
other

(legally undeclared spouse): common law wife.

Wiktionary

From Latin, literally from what is done, meaning in fact. See also standard.

Webster's New World Telecom

Other Word Forms of De Facto

Noun

Singular:
de facto
Plural:
de-factos

Origin of De Facto

  • Latin dē factō dē from, according to factō ablative of factum fact

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • From Latin de facto, de (“from”) + ablative of factum (“fact, deed, act”)

    From Wiktionary

De Facto Sentence Examples

  • Carrillo, a legally-named but never de facto governor of California, whose jurisdiction was never recognized in the north; and in1845-1847it was the actual capital.

  • In particular, his acceptance of the crown would have guaranteed his followers, under the act of Henry VII., from liability in the future to the charge of high treason for having given allegiance to himself as a de facto king.

  • Egypt, though nominally under Turkish suzerainty, has formed a practically independent principality since 1841, and has been de facto under British protection since 1881.

  • From that time until his death the city was free from party strife under a de facto despotism, but after the Rinuccini conspiracy of that year the Council of Seventy passed a law declaring attempts on Lorenzo's life to be high treason.

  • In 1871 the Danish parliament (Riksdag) passed a law defining the political position of Iceland in the Danish monarchy, which, though never recognized as valid by the Icelanders, became de facto the base of the political relations of Iceland and Denmark.

More Sentences

Related Articles

Advertisement

Find Similar Words

Find similar words to de facto using the buttons below.

Words Starting With

DDE

Words Ending With

OTOCTO

Unscrambles

de facto

Words Starting With D and Ending With O

Starts With D & Ends With OStarts With DE & Ends With OStarts With D & Ends With TO

Word Length

8 Letter Words8 Letter Words Starting With D8 Letter Words Ending With O