fiat

noun

1. (countable, uncountable)An arbitrary or authoritative command or order to do something; an effectual decree.

   “A royal fiat.”

   “A presidential fiat.”

   “The reflection that the fate of a fellow-creature depended on his sole fiat, would naturally inspire scrupulousness and caution; [...]”

   “Beatrice raised her head: she looked at me as if on my words hung the fiat of life or death, fear and earnestness dilating her dark eyes—for an unconfessed hope had arisen within her.”

   “It must be an absolute fiat - something of the nature of a Mystery or of Religion or Magic - and not to be disputed.”

2. (countable, uncountable)Authorization, permission or (official) sanction.

   “A government fiat.”

   “To rule by fiat.”

3. (English, countable, uncountable)A warrant of a judge for certain processes.
4. (English, countable, uncountable)An authority for certain proceedings given by the Lord Chancellor's signature.
5. (attributive, countable, uncountable)(Pertaining to) fiat currency.

   “But let us trace a little more particularly the differences between the "fiat" dollar and the greenback. The greenback, in common with every bank note any of you have ever seen, contains a promise to pay dollars.”

   “But, say these men who claim for our Congress creative power, we will pass a law making these 'fiat' dollars legal tender for all debts, public and private.”

   “The gold dollar is as much a fiat dollar as the silver dollar or a paper dollar, for none of them are money without this fiat [of the government, that it is legal tender].”

   “All silver content in coins had to be removed from the currency supply, and fiat coins (or tokens) had to take their place.”

   “[…] a unit of a fiat medium of exchange like the dollar bill. Like fiat money, gold has an unstable value in relation to other goods and services. The stock of gold is historically given and cannot rapidly accommodate changes in demand.”

6. An automobile manufactured by the Italian firm Fiat S.p.A.

   “Even as a young feminist who was very angry at men, a real ballbuster, I had a boyfriend who drove a Fiat, I was always fashionable, even though it was hippie gear.”

   “We'd watched Marion pile her three kids and their stuff into an old Fiat 124 I was sure Dad must have picked for her; she didn't look like a Fiat driver at heart.”

   “You are jet-lagged, have a headache, can't stand driving a Fiat, it's turned dark and you cannot see or read the road signs.”

7. (alt-of, alternative)Alternative form of Fiat.

verb

1. (transitive)To make (something) happen.
2. (transitive)To issue a fiat.

   “For quotations using this term, see Citations:fiat.”

name

1. (abbreviation, alt-of, initialism)Initialism of fix it again Tony.