fiat

noun

fi·​at ˈfē-ət How to pronounce fiat (audio)
-ˌat,
-ˌät;
ˈfī-ət,
-ˌat How to pronounce fiat (audio)
1
: an authoritative or arbitrary order : decree
government by fiat
2
: an authoritative determination : dictate
a fiat of conscience
3
: a command or act of will that creates something without or as if without further effort
According to the Bible, the world was created by fiat.

Examples of fiat in a Sentence

He runs the company by fiat. the school principal issued a fiat that caps were not to be worn inside the school, and that was that
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Why gold demand surged While the dollar or the euro isn’t going away anytime soon, Doshi said the demand for real hard assets that complement fiat currency rose over the last few decades as global debt and governments’ share of that debt has increased. Rachel Barber, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2025 Institutions would rather pay in stablecoins or fiat equivalents, but support for that remains limited and inconsistent across networks. Thiago Rüdiger, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025 Kraken has launched Krak for crypto and fiat transfers across more than 100 countries. Roomy Khan, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025 Stablecoins are cryptos that are pegged to fiat currencies, such as the dollar. Brian Evans, CNBC, 4 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fiat

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

circa 1631, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of fiat was circa 1631

Cite this Entry

“Fiat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fiat. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

fiat

noun
fi·​at ˈfē-ət How to pronounce fiat (audio) -at How to pronounce fiat (audio)
-ät;
ˈfī-ət,
-at
: an order from someone in charge

Legal Definition

1
: decree
2
: an authoritative but arbitrary order
a brazen act of judicial fiatL. H. Tribe

More from Merriam-Webster on fiat

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