Question:easy

Given below are a few commonly used foreign language phrases, select the correct answer from the four options given below.

De jure

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"Jure" comes from jus, meaning law, and "de" means concerning. Pair the phrase with de facto, which means in fact.
Updated On: Jul 17, 2026
  • illegal
  • heir
  • concerning law
  • forbidden
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The Correct Option is C

Solution and Explanation

Never study "de jure" alone. It travels as one half of a pair with "de facto", and the pair exists to mark the gap between paper and reality. "De" means of or concerning, and "jure" comes from "jus", law or right, which you already know from jurisdiction, jurist and jury. Put together, de jure describes what the law says, while de facto describes what is actually going on.

  1. illegal: The most tempting wrong answer, because "jure" does point at law. But the phrase says something rests on law, not that it breaks the law. Latin for unlawful would be closer to "contra legem". Wrong.
  2. heir: Belongs to a different Latin root altogether, "heres". There is no link to "jus", and the phrase describes a legal status of things, not a person's place in a will. Wrong.
  3. concerning law: Matches the literal translation and the working use. When a country is recognised de jure, it is recognised as a matter of law, whether or not anyone is in effective control on the ground. Correct.
  4. forbidden: Means prohibited, which is once again the reverse of "backed by law". Wrong.

Take a familiar example. Segregation in the United States was de jure while statutes required it, and became de facto once the statutes fell but the pattern of living continued. The phrase always points to the legal position. Option (C) is the answer.

Let's summarize:

  • De means concerning or by; jure comes from jus, law or right.
  • De jure is what the law recognises; de facto is what actually exists.
  • Two options here (illegal, forbidden) reverse the sense, so read "de" as well as "jure".

The correct option is (C), concerning law.

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