fait accompli

[ fe ta-kawn-plee ]

noun

, French.

, plural faits ac·com·plis [fe z, a, -kaw, n, -, plee].

1. an accomplished fact; a thing already done:

   The enemy's defeat was a fait accompli long before the formal surrender.

fait accompli

/ fɛt akɔ̃pli /

noun

1. something already done and beyond alteration

fait accompli

1. Something that has already been done: “The company president did not discuss the new hiring policy with her board of directors; instead she put it into effect and presented the board with a fait accompli.” From French, meaning “an accomplished fact.”

Word History and Origins

Origin of fait accompli¹

First recorded in 1835–45

Word History and Origins

Origin of fait accompli¹

literally: accomplished fact