"Fiat" is a common and formal word. It connotes absolute power or unquestioned authority. That is, if you talk about Regina George's fiat that we can only wear a ponytail once a week, then you're suggesting that Regina considers herself a queen. 

Or a goddess. In the Vulgate (an authoritative Latin version of the Bible), when God is creating the world, he says Fiat lux, or "Let there be light." This famous phrase continues to influence how we use the word "fiat:" if you say that something is done by fiat, then it's as if some person with godlike powers (or a wish to have them) has commanded it.

For that reason, "fiat" is an excellent word for sarcasm and criticism: for pointing out the injustice and illogic of commands based purely on authority. "You can't just decree by fiat that all paragraphs must have five sentences." Here's the LA Times complaining about the lazy writing in a book: "Plot overrules character, and change occurs by fiat." And here's the New York Times making a point about climate change: "Not only are [humans] bad at the job [of caring for the earth], and greedy, we also come to it by fiat... Which is to say, as self-appointed rulers, we are shams."

Some writers add an adjective and say that something is done by corporate fiat, by executive fiat, by bureaucratic fiat, etc.

"The six-dollar cauliflower is six dollars only because enough people agree that they would rather have an unremarkable head of cauliflower than six dollars. It's not because the grocery gods determine by fiat what people will pay."
   — David Cain, Raptitude, 3 March 2023

"S.A.T. Increases the Average Score, by Fiat... A 430 score on the verbal section of the S.A.T. will suddenly become a 510 under the new scoring method. A 730 verbal score will become an 800." 
   — Michael Winerip, New York Times, 11 June 1994

has this page helped you understand "fiat"?

Awesome, I'm glad it helped!

Thanks for letting me know!
If you have any questions about this word, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

study it:

Explain the meaning of "fiat" without saying "edict" or "decree."

try it out:

Fill in the blanks: "I grew tired of (someone's) fiat that (something should be done a certain way)."

Example 1: "I like footnotes. Footnotes are subtle. I've grown tired of MLA's fiat that ugly citations have to clutter up the body of an essay."

Example 2: "She had grown tired of the strict religious routine of Granny’s home; of the half dozen or more daily family prayers that Granny insisted upon; her fiat that
the day began at sunrise and that night commenced at sundown."
   — Richard Wright, Black Boy, 1945

If you like, use this space to write. (To save your work, copy and paste it into an email or a document.)

before you review, play:

Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.

Our game for March: it's the Inkhorn Stinkhorn!

It’s inspired by the Twofer Goofer, created by Collin Waldoch, in which you're given a circumlocutory clue, like "An eater with an excessive appetite for clothes fasteners," and you provide a rhyming answer, in this case "button glutton." You're then treated to an AI-generated rendering of the goofy concept you just named. In general in the Twofer Goofer, the words are straightforward and the AI art is lovely.

But here in the Inkhorn Stinkhorn, the words are pedantic and the AI art is atrocious. Enjoy! 

Try this one today: Name a two-word rhyming phrase that means "waxy chunks discarded by a metalsmith tending to his teeth."

Clue #1: To reveal the first letter of each word, highlight the following text… f____ d____

Clue #2: To reveal one of the words, highlight the following text… floss d____

For the answer, scroll all the way down!

review this word:

1. The opposite of fiat currency, which has value based on _____, could be _____.

A. gold and silver .. paper currency, which has symbolic value
B. a government's say-so .. tradable food and clothing, which has intrinsic value
C. a government's say-so .. cryptocurrency, which has value based on a corporation's say-so

2. With the word "fiat," Jeffrey Eugenides added a tinge of _____ humor to this sentence: "His light brown frizzy hair was scrupulously brushed, and parted by fiat."

A. black
B. slapstick
C. religious

Answers to the review questions: 1. B 2. C Answer to the game question: Floss dross.

a final word:

I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From my blog: On vocabulary...       36 ways to study words.       Why we forget words, & how to remember them.       How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. On writing...       How to improve any sentence.       How to motivate our kids to write.       How to stop procrastinating and start writing.       How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count. From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.