fiat: Meaning and Definition of

fi•at

Pronunciation: (fē'ät, -at fī'&schwat, -at), [key]
— n.
  1. an authoritative decree, sanction, or order: a royal fiat.
  2. a formula containing the word fiat, by which a person in authority gives sanction.
  3. an arbitrary decree or pronouncement, esp. by a person or group of persons having absolute authority to enforce it: The king ruled by fiat.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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