A.Word.A.Day--fait accompli

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The Magic of Words

Sep 2, 2010

This week's theme
Terms from French

This week's words
agent provocateur
decolletage
enfant terrible
fait accompli

Erratum: See the updated etymology for the word decolletage.

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A.Word.A.Day

with Anu Garg

fait accompli

PRONUNCIATION:

(fay-ta-kom-PLEE)

plural faits accomplis (fay-zuh-kom-PLEE, fay-ta-kom-PLEEZ)

MEANING:

noun: A thing accomplished: a done deal.

ETYMOLOGY:

From French fait accompli (accomplished fact).

USAGE:

"Matt Giteau, whose selection was once regarded as a fait accompli, will today begin the toughest selection battle of his illustrious career."
Rupert Guinness; Triple Headache for Deans at No.12; The Sydney Morning Herald (Australia); Aug 16, 2010.

Explore "fait accompli" in the Visual Thesaurus.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

While fame impedes and constricts, obscurity wraps about a man like a mist; obscurity is dark, ample, and free; obscurity lets the mind take its way unimpeded. Over the obscure man is poured the merciful suffusion of darkness. None knows where he goes or comes. He may seek the truth and speak it; he alone is free; he alone is truthful, he alone is at peace. -Virginia Woolf, writer (1882-1941)

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