De Facto: That's the Way It Is

What do they mean when they say "de facto segregation"?

De facto is the Latin term for "in fact" or "actually." So, de facto segregation is segregation that exists. De facto is the opposite of de jure (sometimes written de iure), which means by right or by law.

In this country, we have de jure integration (integration by law), but the truth is we're more likely to encounter areas that practice de facto segregation (segregation in actuality).