Fatum

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An inevitable fate or destiny that is often perceived as predetermined
2. A concept denoting the outcome of events as determined by forces beyond individual control
3. The idea of a preordained course of events that shapes one's life and experiences

Etymology: "Fatum" is a Latin noun meaning "that which has been spoken," from the neuter past participle of "fari," "to speak." To the Romans, a fate was less a mysterious force than a verdict already pronounced, something decided by the gods and stated aloud, so it could not be altered by human effort. The Latin word passed into English as a borrowing, and it is still used in the form "fatum" for the sense of an inescapable destiny, often in the phrase "fatum et fortuna" style contexts of classical literature. English already had its own words for this idea, such as "fate" itself, which came through Old French from the same Latin root, so "fatum" was adopted mainly as a learned term rather than a common one. The root "fari" also produced "fable" and "fame," which share the sense of things said or reported. Speech and destiny were tightly linked in Roman thought: what the gods spoke became what happened.

Synonyms: destiny, fate, doom, fortune, kismet

Antonyms: free will, chance, randomness, accident