Pronunciation: /deɪ ˈfæktoʊ/

Definitions of de facto

adjective actual, existing in fact

Example Sentences

A1 In many countries, the de facto official language is English.

A2 The de facto leader of the group made all the decisions.

B1 The de facto standard for email communication is the use of a subject line.

B2 The de facto policy of the company is to promote from within.

C1 The de facto segregation in schools was finally addressed by the new legislation.

C2 The de facto recognition of the new government came from neighboring countries.

adverb in fact, in reality

Example Sentences

A1 In many countries, the president is the de facto leader.

A2 The de facto official language in this region is Spanish.

B1 The company's policy is de facto to promote from within.

B2 The de facto standard for internet connections is WiFi.

C1 The de facto ruler of the country had never been officially elected.

C2 The de facto leader of the group was chosen based on experience and expertise.

Examples of de facto in a Sentence

formal The de facto leader of the organization was appointed by the board of directors.

informal She's the de facto head of the department because she's been there the longest.

slang He's the de facto king of the school because everyone looks up to him.

figurative The old library has become a de facto community center for the neighborhood.

Grammatical Forms of de facto

past tense

was

plural

de factos

comparative

more de facto

superlative

most de facto

present tense

is

future tense

will be

perfect tense

has been

continuous tense

is being

singular

de facto

positive degree

de facto

infinitive

to be de facto

gerund

being de facto

participle

being de facto

Origin and Evolution of de facto

First Known Use: 1600 year
Language of Origin: Latin
Story behind the word: The term 'de facto' originated from Latin
Evolution of the word: Originally used in legal contexts to describe something that exists in practice, but not necessarily by official status or decree. Over time, the term has come to be used more broadly to refer to situations or relationships that are accepted as true or valid, even if not officially recognized.