Etymology
Unadapted borrowing from Latin dē factō (literally “according to fact”), from dē (“according to”) + ablative of factum (“fact, deed, act”).
Adverb
de facto (not comparable)
- (modal) In practice; in actual use or existence, regardless of official or legal status.
Adjective
de facto (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
de facto (plural de factos)
- (Australia, New Zealand) A legally undeclared spouse; a partner in a spousal relationship which is not officially declared as a marriage, comparable to a common law husband or wife.
Credits
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