fait accompli

/ˌfeɪt əˈkɒm.pliː/ French Origin General

Original Word

fait accompli

French

Entered English

19th century

First recorded usage in English

The Story Behind "fait accompli"

From French 'fait accompli', literally 'accomplished fact'. An action that has already been done and cannot be changed, often presented as a way to force acceptance. A common diplomatic and political strategy.

Example Usage

"By the time the board found out, the merger was already a fait accompli."

All French Loanwords Look Up in Dictionary

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