fait accompli
noun/ˌfeɪt əˈkɒmpliː/
/ˌfeɪt əˈkɑːmpliː/
[usually singular] (plural faits accomplis
(from French)/ˌfeɪz əˈkɒmpliː/
/ˌfeɪz əˈkɑːmpliː/
)- something that has already happened or been done and that you cannot change
- We got married secretly and then presented our parents with a fait accompli.
Word Originmid 19th cent.: from French, literally ‘accomplished fact’.Definitions on the go
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fait accompli