precept

American  

[pree-sept] / ˈpri sɛpt /

noun

• precepts
  plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• precepts
  plural

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

See Examples For:

precept precepts

Buffett was only applying a precept set down by his investment mentor, Benjamin Graham, in his classic primer “The Intelligent Investor.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2026

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

Mr. Browne’s December precept was: Fortune favors the bold.

From "Wonder" by R. J. Palacio

In his recitation of the precepts that comprise conservatism, Mr. Pence offers a catalog of beliefs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 1, 2026

Barron’s editors Lauren Rublin and Andrew Bary will be joined by Chris Davis, chairman of Davis Advisors, to discuss the current market climate, precepts of value investing, and some of his favorite stocks.

From Barron's ● Mar. 20, 2026

The organization’s refusal to change from its founding precepts is what makes those precepts sacrosanct to some and archaic to others.

From Slate ● Sep. 10, 2025

At Facebook, Wynn-Williams writes, she’ll see those precepts “tested, chewed up, and thrown aside.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 20, 2025

At the beginning of the year, Mr. Browne had told all of us that he wanted us to send him one of our own precepts over the summer.

From "Auggie & Me" by R. J. Palacio

Related Words

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