facto

Facto is a Latin-derived term that appears most often in English in the fixed phrases de facto and ipso facto. In these compounds, facto signals a relationship to fact or reality rather than to law, status, or formal designation. Outside these phrases, facto is not commonly used as an independent English word, and may be encountered mainly in scholarly or legal contexts as part of these established expressions.

Facto comes from the Latin facere "to do" with its past participles and related forms; the exact morphological form is tied to Latin grammar. It participates in the set phrases de facto (in fact, in reality) and ipso facto (by the fact itself).

De facto describes situations that exist in practice, whether or not they are legally recognized. Examples include a de facto leader or a de facto standard. Ipso facto indicates a consequence that follows directly from a fact; for instance, "If a person fails the exam, they are ipso facto ineligible." In formal usage, these phrases are commonly treated as fixed expressions and may be set in italics in some style guides.

See also: de facto, ipso facto, de jure.