facto
adj.adj. existing in reality even if it is not official or legal. You use this to describe a situation that is true in practice, regardless of what the rules say.
adj. existing in fact or in practice, whether or not it is legally or formally recognised. Often used to describe a situation that has developed naturally rather than by design.
He is the de facto leader of the group.
Although she doesn't have the title of manager, she is the de facto head of the department because everyone follows her lead.
The border has been closed for decades, making the temporary ceasefire line a de facto international boundary that neither side officially acknowledges but both sides strictly respect.
Typically used as part of the Latin loan-phrase 'de facto'. It usually precedes the noun it modifies but can also function as an adverb following a verb.