HOW TO PRONOUNCE
De Facto
/ˌdeɪˈfæktoʊ/
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American Pronunciation Guide · 0:55
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What does De Facto mean?
adverb
- In actual use or existence, regardless of official or legal status.
adjective
- In actual use or existence, regardless of official or legal status.
noun
- 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.
Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0
IPA pronunciation
/ˌdeɪˈfæktoʊ/
Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.
In the pages of books
See this word in context.
They have both a eulogistic or normative sense, and a descriptive sense; a meaning de jure and a meaning de facto.
They were so acting in the absence of the de facto sergeants.
More book examples (2)
They till their lands, and are de facto petty farmers.
To grant this privilege to the different courts of the States would have been to destroy the sovereignty of the Union de facto after having established it de jure; for the interpretation of the Constitution would soon have restored that portion of independence to the States of which the terms of that act deprived them.