ipso facto

Ipso facto is a Latin adverb translated as by the fact itself, as in Just because Migel answered dishonestly does not ipso facto mean he is incapable of telling the truth.

Ipso facto is used when you want a concise way to explain a consequence, result, or fact. It is most often used in very formal situations, such as in the law or in academics, in which Latin phrases are common. 

Example: When Olivia began leaking private club information, she ipso facto lost their membership to the club.

The first records of the term ipso facto come from around the 1540s. It is an Anglicized version of the Latin ipsō factō, with ipsō meaning “itself” and factō meaning “fact.”

Ipso facto is similar to the phrase in and of itself. In and of itself is also commonly used in formal situations and can be used before or after the action or fact it is connecting to, as in It is not illegal in and of itself and It is not, in and of itself, illegal. Ipso facto, however, is almost always used before, as in It is not ipso facto illegal.

What are some synonyms for ipso facto?

• in and of itself

What are some words that share a root or word element with ipso facto? 

• fact

What are some words that often get used in discussing ipso facto?

• action
• court
• law

Ipso facto is generally only used in formal writing and speaking that often uses Latin phrases, such as in law, science, or academics. 

If you're a young programmer and you can build something your friends consistently use because they actually want it rather than out of loyalty to you, that's ipso facto a good startup idea. No matter how trivial or frivolous it seems initially.

— Paul Graham (@paulg) March 24, 2021

The #USA only lost to #GER 1-0. #BRA are losing 5-0. Ipso facto, the US would beat Brazil 4-0.

— Stars and Stripes FC (@StarsStripesFC) July 8, 2014

Fun fact: performatively chiding people for not being sad about bad things happening to people who do bad things does not, ipso facto, make you a better person.

— daft punky brewster (@BenjaminMillar) March 13, 2020

Updated on February 27, 2023

True or False?

Ipso facto is most often used in formal writing and speaking.