fiat

fi·at

noun \ˈfē-ət, -ˌat, -ˌät; ˈfī-ət, -ˌat\

: an official order given by someone who has power : an order that must be followed

Full Definition of FIAT

1

:  a command or act of will that creates something without or as if without further effort

2

:  an authoritative determination :  dictate <a fiat of conscience>

3

:  an authoritative or arbitrary order :  decree <government by fiat>

Examples of FIAT

1. He runs the company by fiat.
2. <the school principal issued a fiat that caps were not to be worn inside the school, and that was that>

Origin of FIAT

Latin, let it be done, 3d singular present subjunctive of fieri to become, be done — more at be

First Known Use: circa 1631

Related to FIAT

Synonyms

bull, decree, diktat, directive, edict, rescript, ruling, ukase

Related Words

call, conclusion, decision, deliverance, determination, diagnosis, judgment (or judgement), opinion, resolution, verdict; announcement, declaration, dictum, manifesto, proclamation, pronouncement; canon, encyclical

Rhymes with FIAT

all that, at bat, at that, backchat, bath mat, bobcat, brass hat, brickbat, brown fat, brown rat, bullbat, Cassatt, chitchat, combat, coon cat, cowpat, cravat, Croat, deep fat, defat, dingbat, doormat, expat, fat cat, firebrat, flat-hat, fly at, format, fruit bat, get at, go at, have at, hellcat, hepcat, high-hat, house cat, jurat, keep at, leaf fat, look at, Manx cat, MCAT, meerkat, milk fat, mole rat, mudflat, muscat, Muscat, muskrat, nonfat, old hat, pack rat, pick at, place mat, plug hat, polecat, pot hat, Rotblat, rug rat, salt flat, savate, silk hat, slouch hat, sneeze at, snowcat, Sobat, stand pat, standpat, stonechat, strawhat, Surat, thereat, tin hat, tipcat, tomcat, top hat, trans fat, whereat, whinchat, white hat, wildcat, wombat, wool fat