doutrina

Doutrina is a term used in Portuguese and other Romance languages to denote a formal system of beliefs, principles, or teachings accepted by a group, institution, or tradition. The word derives from Latin doctrina, teaching or instruction.

In religious contexts, a doutrina is the official set of teachings of a church or denomination, and can also refer to a body of doctrinal statements, such as Catholic social doctrine or Protestant confessions.

In law and jurisprudence, doutrina (doctrine) refers to the body of established principles and interpretive frameworks developed by scholars and courts, which guide legal reasoning apart from statutes or case law; for example, a doctrine of precedent or a national doctrine on legal interpretation (in Portugal and Brazil, "doutrina jurídica").

In government and military usage, a doctrine is a coherent plan or approach to policy, defense, or strategy—e.g., foreign policy doctrines (Monroe Doctrine) or military doctrines that outline how forces operate.

Philosophically and academically, doutrina can denote a school of thought or a system of ideas within a discipline, such as economic doctrine, or a religious or ethical doctrine that shapes practice and theory.