existing or being such in actual fact or for all practical purposes, though not by legal establishment, official recognition, etc.: a de facto government
Origin of de facto
Classical Latin
adjective
- 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.
- 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 definition and usage example. Copyright © 2018 by LoveToKnow Corp
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"de facto." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 04 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/De-facto>.
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de facto. (n.d.). Retrieved February 04th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/De-facto
de facto
Webster's New World College Dictionary, Fifth Edition Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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"de facto." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 04 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/De-facto>.
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de facto. (n.d.). Retrieved February 04th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/De-facto
de facto
adjective
Existing in actuality, especially when contrary to or not established by law: de facto segregation; a de facto government.
Origin of de facto
Latin dē factō dē from, according to factō ablative of factum factRelated Forms:
- de facto
adverb
THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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"de facto." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 04 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/De-facto>.
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de facto. (n.d.). Retrieved February 04th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/De-facto
Adverb
(not comparable)
- (modal) In practice; in actual use or existence, regardless of official or legal status.
Adjective
(not comparable)
- 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.
Noun
(plural de factos)
- (Australia, New Zealand) A legally undeclared spouse.
Hyponyms
- (legally undeclared spouse): common law wife
English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.
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"de facto." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 04 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/De-facto>.
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de facto. (n.d.). Retrieved February 04th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/De-facto
de facto - Computer Definition
From Latin, literally from what is done, meaning in fact. See also standard.
Webster's New World Telecom Dictionary Copyright © 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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"de facto." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 04 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/De-facto>.
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de facto. (n.d.). Retrieved February 04th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/De-facto
de facto - Legal Definition
adj
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 Dictionary Copyright © 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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"de facto." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 04 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/De-facto>.
APA Style
de facto. (n.d.). Retrieved February 04th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/De-facto
Sentence Examples
- Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix: Before Street Fighter IV and Super Street Fighter IV arrived on the scene, this was the de-facto fighting game to play on the PlayStation 3.
- More recently the black polo shirt with the "Blackwater" logo on it became the de-facto military uniform for contractors working in Iraq and Afghanistan with coalition troops.