Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Dictum
‖
Dic′tum
,Noun.
pl. L.
Dicta
(#)
, E. Dictums
(#)
. 1.
An authoritative statement; a dogmatic saying; an apothegm.
A class of critical
dicta
everywhere current. M. Arnold.
2.
(Law)
(a)
A judicial opinion expressed by judges on points that do not necessarily arise in the case, and are not involved in it.
(b)
(French Law)
The report of a judgment made by one of the judges who has given it.
Bouvier.
(c)
An arbitrament or award.
Definition 2024
dictum
dictum
English
Noun
dictum (plural dicta or dictums)
- 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...
- 1949, Bruce Kiskaddon, George R. Stewart, Earth Abides
- A judicial opinion expressed by judges on points that do not necessarily arise in the case, and are not involved in it.
- The report of a judgment made by one of the judges who has given it.
- An arbitrament or award.
Latin
Etymology
From dīcō (“say, speak”).
Pronunciation
- (Classical) IPA(key): /ˈdik.tum/
Noun
dictum n (genitive dictī); second declension
- a word, saying, something said
- proverb, maxim
- bon mot, witticism
- verse, poetry
- a prophesy, prediction
- order, command
- promise, assurance
Inflection
Second declension.
Case | Singular | Plural |
---|---|---|
nominative | dictum | dicta |
genitive | dictī | dictōrum |
dative | dictō | dictīs |
accusative | dictum | dicta |
ablative | dictō | dictīs |
vocative | dictum | dicta |
Synonyms
- (bon mot, witticism): dictērium
Related terms
|
Descendants
Participle
dictum
- nominative neuter singular of dictus
- accusative masculine singular of dictus
- accusative neuter singular of dictus
- vocative neuter singular of dictus
Verb
dictum
- 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
-
(ambiguous) a short, pointed witticism: breviter et commode dictum