Phrase guide

auto da fe

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /ˈaʊtəʊ də ˈfeɪ/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The public announcement of the sentences imposed by the Inquisition on supposed heretics.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The public execution of those sentences, often by burning at the stake.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from Portuguese auto da fé (“act/sentence of (the) faith”), in turn from Latin actus de fide.

Across languages

Translations

19 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 火刑 (huǒxíng) — public execution by burning at the stake
  • Finnish: autodafee — public execution by burning at the stake
  • French: autodafé — public execution by burning at the stake
  • German: Autodafé — public execution by burning at the stake
  • Greek: άουτο ντα φε (áouto nta fe) — public execution by burning at the stake
  • Italian: autodafé — public execution by burning at the stake
  • Japanese: アウト・デ・フェ (auto-de-fe) — public execution by burning at the stake
  • Lithuanian: autodafė — public execution by burning at the stake
  • Norwegian Bokmål: autodafé — public execution by burning at the stake
  • Norwegian Bokmål: autodafe — public execution by burning at the stake
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: autodafé — public execution by burning at the stake
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: autodafe — public execution by burning at the stake
  • Polish: auto-da-fé — public execution by burning at the stake
  • Portuguese: auto da fé — public execution by burning at the stake
  • Romanian: autodafé — public execution by burning at the stake
  • Russian: аутодафе́ (autodafɛ́) — public execution by burning at the stake
  • Spanish: auto de fe — public execution by burning at the stake
  • Swedish: autodafé — public execution by burning at the stake
  • Yiddish: אויטאָדאַפֿע (oytodafe) — public execution by burning at the stake