fiat
Americannoun
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an authoritative decree, sanction, or order.
a royal fiat.
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a fixed form of words containing the word fiat, by which a person in authority gives sanction, or authorization.
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an arbitrary decree or pronouncement, especially by a person or group of persons having absolute authority to enforce it.
The king ruled by fiat.
noun
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official sanction; authoritative permission
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an arbitrary order or decree
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literary any command, decision, or act of will that brings something about
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of fiat
First recorded in 1625–35; from Latin: “let it be done,” 3rd-person singular present subjunctive of fierī “to become”
Explanation
You might think a fiat is just an Italian car, but it actually means a legal, authoritative decision that has absolute sanction. From the Latin for "let it be done," the word fiat is a binding edict issued by a person in command. It can gain an almost Biblical aura of authority, like a movie Pharaoh saying, "So let it be written, so let it be done." So let it be a fiat.
Vocabulary lists containing fiat
"What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" by Frederick Douglass
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This Week In Words: January 4–10, 2020
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Texas v. Johnson (1989)
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Mazda MX-5, the Mini Convertible and the Fiat 500 are exceptions, but customers looking for affordable soft-tops now have few options.
From BBC • Jun. 14, 2026
Stellantis is expanding its global pickup portfolio, renewing Fiat models and introducing a new Ram Rampage to North America.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026
Jeep and Ram are said to be two of Stellantis’s “four key brands,” with the other two being its mainstream European makes, Peugeot and Fiat.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026
Stellantis, owner of the Jeep and Fiat brands, announced Tuesday that it would start building smaller, low-cost electric cars for the European market, where demand for clean-energy vehicles has fallen short of automakers' hopes.
From Barron's • May 19, 2026
I sat in the high seat of the Fiat and thought about nothing.
From "A Farewell To Arms" by Ernest Hemingway
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
