de facto

1 of 2

adverb

de fac·​to di-ˈfak-(ˌ)tō 

dā-,

dē-

: in reality : actually

became the leader de facto

de facto

2 of 2

adjective

1

: actual

especially : being such in effect though not formally recognized

a de facto state of war

Whatever it says on the calendar, Florida has de facto summer.

—E. L. Konigsburg

has become the movement's de facto spokesperson

2

: exercising power as if legally constituted

a de facto government

the de facto head of state

3

: resulting from economic or social factors rather than from laws or actions of the state

de facto segregation

Synonyms

Adjective

• actual
• concrete
• effective
• existent
• factual
• genuine
• real
• sure-enough
• true
• very

Examples of de facto in a Sentence

Adjective

with the death of his father, he became the de facto head of the family

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

Khanna recounted how Gandhi’s technique of nonviolent political protest inspired Martin Luther King Jr. King's movement paved the way for the 1965 Immigration Act, which lifted a de facto ban on Asian migration, Khanna explained. —USA TODAY, 19 Apr. 2024

This past season, Thompson adapted to new roles—first as a de facto power forward, then as a sixth man—more befitting his current form. —Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adverb

borrowed from Medieval Latin, literally, "from the fact"

Adjective

derivative of de facto entry 1

First Known Use

Adverb

1601, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

circa 1689, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Legal Definition

de facto

1 of 2 adverb

de fac·​to di-ˈfak-tō, dā-, dē- 

: in reality : actually

these two constraints have been lifted, one de facto and one de jure

—Susan Lee

de facto

2 of 2 adjective

1

: actual

especially : being such in effect though not formally recognized see also de facto segregation at segregation

2

: exercising power as if legally constituted or authorized

a de facto government

a de facto judge

compare de jure

Etymology

Adverb

Medieval Latin, literally, from the fact