fatum

Fatum, fati, n., second declension, and the perfect participle of for, fari, "to speak", used as a noun: literally "the thing that has been spoken". A word uttered by a god and therefore not retractable. The etymology is also the theology.

The neuter plural fata is at least as common as the singular and usually means the same single thing rather than several fates; personified, the Fata are the three Fates. Keep it apart from fortuna, which is chance and can turn, where fatum is fixed. Christian writers handle it gingerly or dodge it, because an unrevokable decree fits badly next to providence. English fate, fatal and fatalism descend from it, Spanish hado directly, and fairy by a French detour through fata.