fiat
/ˈfaɪ.æt/
noun
Origin
Latin
fieri — to become, to be made, to be done
Overview
Meaning Now
- A formal authorization or decree; an official order.
- An arbitrary command or decision given by a person in authority.
- In economics, currency that a government has declared to be legal tender, despite it having no intrinsic value.
Literal older meaning
let it be done
Language path
Latin → English
Earliest form
fiat
Earliest period
16th century
Journey
The term originates from the Latin imperative-like subjunctive form found in the Vulgate Bible's account of Creation, 'Fiat lux' ('Let there be light'). It transitioned into English legal terminology to denote a warrant or decree issued by a judge or official, essentially signifying that an action should proceed by executive command.
Evolution
- Proto-Indo-European
*dʰeh₁-
“to set, put, or do”
- Latin
fiat
“let it be done (third-person singular present passive subjunctive)”
Used in the Vulgate Bible, specifically Genesis 1:3: 'fiat lux'.
- English, 16th century
fiat
“An authoritative sanction”
Adopted into legal and administrative English.
Connections
Word parts
fiat
root
let it be done
Related across languages
French
faire
to do or to make
Italian
fare
to do or to make
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Related to fiat
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.