dictum

English

Etymology

(deprecated template usage)

From Latin dictum (“proverb, maxim”), from dictus (“having been said”), perfect passive participle of dico (“I say”). Compare Spanish dicho (“saying”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈdɪk.təm/

Noun

dictum (plural dicta or dictums)

1. An authoritative statement; a dogmatic saying; a maxim, an apothegm.
   • 1949, Bruce Kiskaddon, George R. Stewart, Earth Abides

     ...a dictum which he had heard an economics professor once propound...

2. A judicial opinion expressed by judges on points that do not necessarily arise in the case, and are not involved in it.
3. The report of a judgment made by one of the judges who has given it.
4. An arbitrament or award.

See also

• ipse dixit

Translations

authoritative statement

• German: Machtspruch
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}

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Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈdik.tum/, [ˈd̪ɪkt̪ʊ̃ˑ]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈdik.tum/, [ˈd̪ikt̪um]

Etymology 1

Neuter form of dictus (“said, spoken”), past passive participle of dīcō (“to say, to speak”).

Noun

dictum n (genitive dictī); second declension

1. a word, saying, something said
2. proverb, maxim, saw
3. bon mot, witticism

   Synonym: dictērium

4. verse, poetry
5. a prophesy, prediction
6. order, command
7. promise, assurance

Declension

Second-declension noun (neuter).

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	dictum	dicta
Genitive	dictī	dictōrum
Dative	dictō	dictīs
Accusative	dictum	dicta
Ablative	dictō	dictīs
Vocative	dictum	dicta

Related terms

• dīcō
• dictābolārium
• dictāmen
• dictāta
• dictātiō
• dictātiuncula
• dictātor
• dictātōrius
• dictātrīx
• dictātūra
• dictiō
• dictiōnārium
• dictiōsus
• dictitō
• dictō
• dictus

 

Descendants

• Asturian: dichu
• → English: dictum
• Friulian: dit
• Italian: detto

• Old French: dit
• → Portuguese: dictum
• Spanish: dicho
• Venetian: dito, dit

Further reading

• “dictum”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “dictum”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• dictum in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
• dictum in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
• Carl Meißner, Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book‎^[1], London: Macmillan and Co.
  • (ambiguous) a short, pointed witticism: breviter et commode dictum
    
  • (ambiguous) a witticism, bon mot: facete dictum
    
  • (ambiguous) a far-fetched joke: arcessitum dictum (De Or. 2. 63. 256)
    
  • (ambiguous) to make jokes on a person: dicta dicere in aliquem
    
  • (ambiguous) to obey a person's orders: dicto audientem esse alicui
    
  • (ambiguous) as I said above: ut supra (opp. infra) diximus, dictum est
    
  • (ambiguous) so much for this subject...; enough has been said on..: ac (sed) de ... satis dixi, dictum est
    

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Participle

(deprecated template usage) dictum

1. inflection of dictus:
   1. nominative/accusative/vocative neuter singular
   2. accusative masculine singular

Verb

(deprecated template usage) dictum

1. accusative supine of dīcō

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Spanish

Noun

dictum m (plural dictums)

1. dictum