fiat

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“
Of course they were to be separated from that hour; the fiat was already gone forth.

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Definitions (10)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (2)

  1. noun An arbitrary order or decree.
  2. noun Authorization or sanction: government fiat.

Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (6)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (1)

Toggle WordNet definitions WordNet (1)

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Examples (50)

  • Her answer to his fiat was to rally in a wonderful way. —  Mary Slessor of Calabar: Pioneer Missionary
  • Colonel Benét wants his fiat, his whim, made corporal To demonstrate his reach I'd suggest it was a demonstration of his own vanity To have this man—what's his name, Emory?—put down like a dog that kills chickens, simply because he can They agreed, then, on the moral point. —  AHMM,January-February2007
  • The currencies of all countries are now fiat, meaning they are but paper coupons printed at will by their governments. —  Financial Sense Newshour
  • Rather than using an unlawful executive fiat, they did so in accordance with the law by negotiating at the bargaining table and through the legislative process —  California Progress Report
  • But we don't know yet that King Henry's fiat, his $700 billion solution, is the best solution. —  Andrea Harner
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Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Medieval Latin, from Latin, let it be done, third person sing. present subjunctive of fierī, to become, to be done; see bheuə- in Indo-European roots.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. Latin fiat, let it be done, 3d person singular subjunctive present of fieri, be done, become, come into existence, used as passive of facere, make, do: see fact. In the first sense there is often an allusion to Gen. i. 3 (Vulgate): “Dixitque Deus: Fiat lux. Et facta est lux.” (“And God said, Let there be light. And there was light.”)
 

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/ˈfaɪæt/
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