dictum
/ˈdɪktəm
/noun (plural dicta /ˈdɪktə/ or dictums)
1A formal pronouncement from an authoritative source: the dicta of High Court Judges...
- Indeed, they resist inquiries from the unanointed into the bases of their pronouncements and insist on handing their pronouncements down as dicta that may not be questioned.
- And you can't even have the sense of rigour because rigour is an authoritarian dictum in itself, which rules out other ways of approaching movement, for example perceiving something with gentleness.
- Apparently, the new dictum in the National Party is that if women members disagree with their leader, they are gone by lunchtime.
Synonyms
pronouncement, proclamation, direction, injunction, assertion, statement;
dictate, command, commandment, mandate, order, decree, edict, fiat, promulgation, precept, requirement, stipulation, instruction;
law, ordinance, rule, regulation;
in Tsarist Russia ukase;
in Spanish-speaking countries pronunciamento
rare rescript, firman, decretal, irade
1.1A short statement that expresses a general truth or principle: the old dictum ‘might is right’...
- Secretary Rumsfeld invoked Frederick the Great's dictum from General Principles of War: ‘What design would I be forming if I were the enemy?’
- The truth of the dictum has been demonstrated in history, both ancient and recent, time and again.
- What is definite is that this process began outside India, and that the NRI proved over and over again the old dictum that Indians do well everywhere, as long as everywhere does not include India.
Synonyms
saying, maxim, axiom, proverb, adage, aphorism, saw, precept, epigram, epigraph, motto, truism, platitude, commonplace;
words of wisdom, pearls of wisdom;
expression, phrase, formula, slogan, quotation, quote
rare apophthegm, gnome
1.2 Law short for obiter dictum.However, as differing judicial dicta indicate, the question of how far decisions made by governmental and other administrative bodies should be subject to control by the courts is far from being an uncontroversial one....
- It reversed Judge Newcomer, and noted that federal judges should not take Supreme Court dicta lightly.
- As I said yesterday, there is the accident compensation legislation, but such dicta as there are are against recovery.
Origin
Late 16th century: from Latin, literally 'something said', neuter past participle of dicere.