de jure

adverb or adjective

de ju·​re (ˌ)dē-ˈju̇r-ē  (ˌ)dā-ˈyu̇r- 

1

: by right : of right

2

: based on laws or actions of the state

de jure segregation

Did you know?

Coming straight from Latin, de jure is a term used mostly, but not always, in legal writing. Sometimes it's not enough to have something written into law; if a law isn't enforced, it might as well not exist. And if ordinary citizens are too scared of what would happen to them if they exercised their rights, then they don't really have those rights at all. Unfortunately, many countries have constitutions and laws that sound good but turn out not to have much effect. So de jure is almost always used in contrast to something else; its opposite is de facto.

Examples of de jure in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The conventional wisdom is that Trump, fresh off a resounding victory, will throw Ukraine under the bus by pressuring Kyiv to sign a settlement that will hand over a fifth of its territory to the Russians and de jure legitimize Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war of aggression. —Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 12 Nov. 2024

These bills aren’t some bizarre push to allow prisoners to refuse to do any chores but an effort to finally expunge the last vestiges of de jure involuntary servitude and slavery from our system. —Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 16 Sep. 2024

Israeli lawyers and human rights activists say the move amounts to de jure annexation. —Eric Cortellessa/jerusalem, TIME, 13 Aug. 2024

The generation before me used sit-ins and boycotts, marches and public demonstrations to secure voting rights for African-Americans and end de jure segregation. —Gregory Meeks, New York Daily News, 8 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Legal Definition

de jure

adverb or adjective

de ju·​re dē-ˈju̇r-ē, dā-ˈyu̇r-ā 

1

: by right : of right

a de jure officer

2

: in accordance with law see also de jure segregation at segregation compare de facto

Etymology

Medieval Latin, literally, from the law