/ ˌɔːtəʊ dɑː ˈfeɪ; NAmE ˌɔːtoʊ/ noun
[ U , C ] (from Spanish ) ( pl. autos-da-fé ) the practice of burning people who did not accept the religious beliefs of the Spanish Inquisition
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WORD ORIGIN
early 18th cent.: from Portuguese , literally act of the faith .