fait accompli fait ac·com·pli [fait accompli faits accomplis] | Vocabulary

fait accompli

fait ac·com·pli [fait accompli faits accomplis] BrE[ˌfeɪt əˈkɒmpliː]  NAmE [ˌfeɪt əˈkɑːmpliː] noun usually singular (pl. faits ac·com·plis BrE[ˌfeɪz əˈkɒmpliː] ; NAmE [ˌfeɪz əˈkɑːmpliː] )(from French)

something that has already happened or been done and that you cannot change

• We got married secretly and then presentedour parents with a fait accompli.

 

Word Origin:

mid 19th cent.: from French, literallyaccomplished fact.