decree

American  

[dih-kree] / dɪˈkri /

noun

1. a formal and authoritative order, especially one having the force of law.

   a presidential decree.

2. Law. a judicial decision or order.

3. Theology. one of the eternal purposes of God, by which events are foreordained.

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verb (used with or without object)

decreed, decreeing

1. to command, ordain, or decide by decree.

decree British  

/ dɪˈkriː /

noun

1. an edict, law, etc, made by someone in authority

2. an order or judgment of a court made after hearing a suit, esp in matrimonial proceedings See decree nisi decree absolute

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verb

1. to order, adjudge, or ordain by decree

Other Word Forms

• decreeable adjective
• decreer noun
• predecree verb (used with object)
• undecreed adjective
• well-decreed adjective

Etymology

Origin of decree

1275–1325; (noun) Middle English decre < Anglo-French decre, decret < Latin dēcrētum, noun use of neuter of dēcrētus, past participle of dēcernere; decern; (v.) Middle English decreen, derivative of the noun

Explanation

Look carefully! A decree isn't something you get when you graduate. That one little letter change makes it something else altogether: a legally binding command or the announcement of such a thing. If you go back far enough, a decree referred to a decision handed down by the Roman emperor. In more modern usage, a divorce decree is the document issued by a court that terminates a marriage. And if you want to go out with someone on a date, but things keep preventing you from having the chance to ask, you could say that fate did not decree it to be so.

Example Sentences

The general call is rescinded… I await your decree.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

Anthropic said it has had discussions with the US government regarding Mythos despite a decree by the White House in February to terminate all contracts with the startup.

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

The companies denied all the allegations and agreed to the settlement to resolve the litigation, according to the consent decree.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026

The department had been rocked by corruption scandals, one after the next, and operating under a Justice Department consent decree for over a decade.

From Slate • Mar. 25, 2026

Travis laughed at Slopper’s serious decree and clapped him on his thick back.

From "The Marrow Thieves" by Cherie Dimaline

Related Words

• act
• announcement
• directive
• edict
• injunction
• instruction
• judgment
• law
• order
• proclamation
• regulation
• rule
• ruling
• statute