fiat

noun

fi·​at ˈfē-ət 

-ˌat,

-ˌät;

ˈfī-ət,

-ˌat 

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.

Synonyms

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

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

This decision protects average citizens from arbitrary regulatory fiats, empowers judges to properly interpret statutes and might even force Congress to do a more precise job writing regulations. —The Editorial Board, Orange County Register, 28 June 2024

Hoping to create a program that would avoid the political pain of voting for a salary increase, members of the House used administrative fiat that opened a semi-secretive fund that has little public disclosure and might draw political scrutiny. —Paul Kane, Washington Post, 15 June 2024

Bonuses and Promotions: 4/5 New players at Cafe Casino can choose between a 100% fiat currency welcome bonus and a 250% up to $1,500 Bitcoin welcome bonus. —Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2024

Both fiat and digital currencies are coming into BTC ETFs, while the the digital gold (bitcoin) is getting scarcer. —Lawrence Wintermeyer, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024

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

Phrases Containing fiat

• fiat money

Kids Definition

fiat

noun

fi·​at ˈfē-ət  -at 

-ät;

ˈfī-ət,

-at

: an order from someone in charge

Legal Definition

fiat

noun

fi·​at ˈfē-ˌät, -ˌat, -ət; ˈfī-ˌat 

1

: decree

2

: an authoritative but arbitrary order

a brazen act of judicial fiat

—L. H. Tribe