de dicto

British

/ ˈdeɪˈdɪktəʊ /

adjective

logic philosophy relating to the expression of a belief, possibility, etc, rather than to the individuals mentioned, as in the number of the planets is the number of satellites of the sun, the truth of which is independent of what number that is Compare de re See also Electra paradox

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of de dicto

literally: about the saying

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023