edict

American  

[ee-dikt] / ˈi dɪkt /

noun

1. a decree issued by a sovereign or other authority.

   Synonyms:

   pronouncement, dictum

2. any authoritative proclamation or command.

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edict British  

/ ˈiːdɪkt /

noun

1. a decree, order, or ordinance issued by a sovereign, state, or any other holder of authority

2. any formal or authoritative command, proclamation, etc

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• edictally
  adverb
• edictal
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of edict

First recorded in 1450–1500; from Latin ēdictum, noun use of neuter of ēdictus (past participle of ēdīcere “to give public notice, proclaim”), equivalent to ē- + dictus “said”; see origin at e- ¹, dictum

Explanation

If your mom orders you to clean your room, that's an order. If the king asks you to do it, that's an edict — an official order from some higher up. Edict comes from the Latin edictum, meaning a "proclamation, or ordinance." Although it was originally used to describe a declaration or command from a king or other governing official, in more recent years it has come to be used almost sarcastically to describe any order. When your teacher says the report is due Monday morning, no exceptions, you know you'll be hitting the books this weekend — this is an edict you cannot ignore.

Related Words

• commandment
• decree
• directive
• injunction
• judgment
• mandate
• precept
• proclamation
• regulation
• ruling
• statute