dictated

Dictated is the past tense and past participle of the verb dictate. In its core sense, dictate means to lay down authoritative rules or to speak words aloud for someone else to write down. When something is dictated, the speaker directs the content and the transcription or recording follows that direction.

In everyday and professional contexts, dictated material is common. People may dictate letters, memos, instructions, or reports to a secretary or transcriptionist who converts spoken words into written text. The practice has historically been central in fields such as medicine and law, where physicians or lawyers dictate notes, affidavits, or briefs, and a trained scribe or transcription service produces the final document. Dictation can occur in real time, with typing or writing as the speaker talks, or via pre-recorded audio later transcribed.

In medicine and legal professions, dictated records often form essential parts of official files, including patient histories, consultation notes, or court documents. With advances in technology, many organizations now use digital dictation devices or voice-recognition software to capture spoken content, followed by automated or human transcription. This shift aims to improve speed and consistency, though it raises considerations about privacy, accuracy, and data security.

Dictated can also function as an adjective to describe content produced under external direction. For example, terms or policies described as dictated by an authority are those set by someone else rather than freely chosen by all parties involved.

See also: dictation, dictate, transcription, stenography. Origin: from Latin dictare, meaning to say or set down in writing.