decree

[ dih-kree ]

noun

1. a formal and authoritative order, especially one having the force of law:

   a presidential decree.

2. Law. a judicial decision or order.
3. Theology. one of the eternal purposes of God, by which events are foreordained.

verb (used with or without object)

, de·creed, de·cree·ing.

1. to command, ordain, or decide by decree.

decree

/ dɪˈkriː /

noun

1. an edict, law, etc, made by someone in authority
2. an order or judgment of a court made after hearing a suit, esp in matrimonial proceedings See decree nisi decree absolute

verb

1. to order, adjudge, or ordain by decree

Derived Forms

• deˈcreer, noun
• deˈcreeable, adjective

Other Words From

• prede·cree verb (used with object) predecreed predecreeing
• unde·creed adjective
• well-de·creed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of decree¹

1275–1325; (noun) Middle English decre < Anglo-French decre, decret < Latin dēcrētum, noun use of neuter of dēcrētus, past participle of dēcernere; decern; (v.) Middle English decreen, derivative of the noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of decree¹

C14: from Old French decre, from Latin dēcrētum ordinance, from dēcrētus decided, past participle of dēcernere to determine; see decern

Example Sentences

Foster, who has starred in “3:10 to Yuma,” “Six Feet Under” and the Disney Channel series “Flash Forward,” asked the court to enforce a 2018 prenuptial agreement that called for an “equitable division” of their marital assets and debts and the incorporation of their “marital dissolution agreement and agreed parenting plan” into their final divorce decree.

From Los Angeles Times

In North Korea itself, it was announced that its leader, Kim Jong un, had signed a decree ratifying a mutual defence treaty with Russia, which was approved in June at a summit in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

From BBC

Destiny should decree it had the perfect ending.

From BBC

Under the Antiquities Act of 1906, a national monument can be created by presidential decree.

From Salon

In a letter to Soon-Shiong that was reprinted by the Columbia Journalism Review, Mariel Garza, who resigned as the newspaper’s editorials editor on Wednesday, argued that the “non-endorsement undermines the integrity of the editorial board and every single endorsement we make, down to school board races. People will justifiably wonder if each endorsement was a decision made by a group of journalists after extensive research and discussion, or through decree by the owner.”

From Slate

Related Words

• act
• announcement
• directive
• edict
• injunction
• instruction
• judgment
• law
• order
• proclamation
• regulation
• rule
• ruling
• statute