Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “dictum” come from?

Dictum comes from Latin dictum, the past participle of dicere meaning to say, derived from Proto-Indo-European deyḱ-.

dictum (English): An authoritative statement; a dogmatic saying; a...

Definitions

  1. An authoritative statement; a dogmatic saying; a...

Ancestry of “dictum”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latindictuma word, saying, something said; proverb, maxim,...
2Latindictussaid, uttered; mentioned, spoken, having been...
3Latindīcō—
4Latin-tiō—
5Latindissertātiō—
6Latindissertusarranged, disposed; explained
7Latindissereresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
8Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
9Latincalceusshoe
10Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
11Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →