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Added 9 October 2026

dictum

/ˈdɪk.təm/ noun

Latin root: dictum Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about dictum at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

An authoritative declaration.
An opinion voiced by a judge on a point of law not directly bearing on the case in question and therefore not binding.

Origin

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

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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