English

Noun

dictum ‎(plural dicta or dictums)

1. An authoritative statement; a dogmatic saying; a maxim, an apothegm.
   • 1949, Bruce Kiskaddon, George R. Stewart, Earth Abides

     ...a dictum which he had heard an economics professor once propound...

2. A judicial opinion expressed by judges on points that do not necessarily arise in the case, and are not involved in it.
3. The report of a judgment made by one of the judges who has given it.
4. An arbitrament or award.

Latin

Etymology

From dīcō ‎(“say, speak”).

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈdik.tum/

Noun

dictum n ‎(genitive dictī); second declension

1. a word, saying, something said
2. proverb, maxim
3. bon mot, witticism
4. verse, poetry
5. a prophesy, prediction
6. order, command
7. promise, assurance

Inflection

Second declension.

Synonyms

• (bon mot, witticism): dictērium

Related terms

Descendants

Participle

dictum

1. nominative neuter singular of dictus
2. accusative masculine singular of dictus
3. accusative neuter singular of dictus
4. vocative neuter singular of dictus

Verb

dictum

1. supine of dīcō

References

• dictum in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• dictum in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• DICTUM in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)
• Félix Gaffiot (1934), “dictum”, in Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Paris: Hachette.
• Meissner, Carl; Auden, Henry William (1894) Latin Phrase-Book, London: Macmillan and Co.
  • (ambiguous) a short, pointed witticism: breviter et commode dictum
    
  • (ambiguous) a witticism, bon mot: facete dictum
    
  • (ambiguous) a far-fetched joke: arcessitum dictum (De Or. 2. 63. 256)
    
  • (ambiguous) to make jokes on a person: dicta dicere in aliquem
    
  • (ambiguous) to obey a person's orders: dicto audientem esse alicui
    
  • (ambiguous) as I said above: ut supra (opp. infra) diximus, dictum est
    
  • (ambiguous) so much for this subject...; enough has been said on..: ac (sed) de ... satis dixi, dictum est
    

Spanish

Noun

dictum m ‎(plural dictums)

1. dictum