precept

American  

[pree-sept] / ˈpri sɛpt /

noun

1. a commandment or direction given as a rule of action or conduct.

   Synonyms:

   prescription, instruction, guide, order, directive

2. an injunction as to moral conduct; maxim.

3. a procedural directive or rule, as for the performance of some technical operation.

4. Law.

   1. a writ or warrant.

   2. a written order issued pursuant to law, as a sheriff's order for an election.

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precept British  

/ ˈpriːsɛpt /

noun

1. a rule or principle for action

2. a guide or rule for morals; maxim

3. a direction, esp for a technical operation

4. law

   1. a writ or warrant

   2. a written order to a sheriff to arrange an election, the empanelling of a jury, etc

   3. (in England) an order to collect money under a rate

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Etymology

Origin of precept

1300–50; Middle English < Latin praeceptum piece of advice, rule, noun use of neuter of praeceptus, past participle of praecipere to direct, foresee, literally, to take beforehand, equivalent to prae- pre- + -cep-, combining form of capere to take + -tus past participle suffix

Explanation

A precept is a rule or direction, often with some religious basis, dictating a way you should act or behave. Precepts are little life lessons that are usually passed down to children by authority figures such as parents, teachers, or religious figures. They are not as simple or practical as "eat your vegetables"; they tend to be more weighty and pretentious. In Hamlet, the character Polonius dished out a few choice precepts to his son Laertes: "neither a borrower nor a lender be" and "give every man thy ear, but few thy voice." Of course Laertes never lived long enough to benefit from Polonius's sage advice, since Hamlet offed him with his own poisoned blade.

Example Sentences

In a sprawling nation founded on the precept of individual liberty and populated primarily by immigrants from around the world, there was hardly one American experience.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 19, 2026

Police budgets are made up of funding from both central government and local government and the increase assumes a rise in the police council tax precept, Treasury documents suggest.

From BBC • Jun. 12, 2025

While generally true, the precept doesn’t hold in the case of playwright Athol Fugard, whose body of work helped transform the history of his nation.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 10, 2025

"We tell people that if you follow the rules, your vote counts, and this effort is really going hard after that basic precept of democracy," she told Salon in a phone interview.

From Salon • Jan. 18, 2025

Since we were just about to start studying ancient Egypt in history, Mr. Browne thought this was a good choice for a precept.

From "Wonder" by R. J. Palacio

Related Words

• axiom
• canon
• commandment
• doctrine
• dogma
• edict
• tenet