Dictum

Dictum is a noun with multiple related senses. In general usage, it denotes a formal pronouncement, statement, or principle issued by someone in authority. The word comes from the Latin dictum, meaning “something said,” and is used to describe a notable saying, maxim, or axiom, especially when it carries weight beyond an ordinary remark.

In legal contexts, dictum (plural dicta) has a precise meaning. It refers to statements made in a court’s opinion that are not necessary to the resolution of the dispute presented for decision. Such statements are not binding as precedent in the sense of ratio decidendi, which is the core legal principle that determines the outcome of the case. However, dicta can be influential or persuasive, guiding future courts and shaping the development of the law. Courts sometimes distinguish clearly between the ratio decidendi and the accompanying dicta.

Beyond law, dictum can describe an official or authoritative pronouncement by a person in power, such as a political or organizational leader. In literature and rhetoric, it often denotes a concise, memorable aphorism or maxim that expresses a general truth or rule of conduct.

Etymology and nuance: the term emphasizes the idea of an asserted saying rather than a required or operative rule. While all dicta are statements, not all statements function as binding legal or formal rules. Dicta thus occupy a spectrum from official pronouncements to recognizable, compact maxims.