decreeing

Decreeing is the act of issuing a decree, an official order or decision issued by a person or body with authority. A decree can establish, modify, or terminate policy, law, or procedure, and its substance varies by context. The term comes from the Latin decretum, from decernere, meaning to determine or decide, and entered English via Old French.

In governance and law, decrees are formal instruments used by sovereigns, executive branches, or administrative authorities to create or implement rules. In some states they function similarly to laws or regulations, sometimes bypassing the full legislative process. In other systems, a decree is a judicial decision issued by a court or tribunal, such as a civil or administrative decree that resolves a case or mandates a remedy. Some jurisdictions distinguish between decrees that have general policy effect and court decrees that resolve disputes or grant relief, such as divorce or probate decrees.

Religious and ceremonial contexts also employ decrees, where leaders or bodies declare statements of will, doctrine, or spiritual authority. Divine decrees refer to statements believed to reflect universal or divine will, while ecclesiastical decrees are formal pronouncements within religious organizations.

Related concepts include edicts, orders, and regulations, each with specific legal or procedural nuance in a given jurisdiction. Decreeing, as a practice, thus spans political, legal, and religious spheres, and its authority depends on constitutional, procedural, and institutional constraints.