dictate
/dɪkˈteɪt/dik-TAYT
/dɪkˈteɪt/dik-TAYT
Meaningto say (for writing)
Common meaning: to speak aloud so another can take it down
Other meanings: to lay down orders
- dictto say, speakLewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), p. 570 · scan
- ateverb or adjective ending: to make, having
Journey through time
- Latindīcō, dīxī, dictum‘to say, speak’
- Englishdictate‘to speak aloud so another can take it down’ · today
dict also in: dictiondictionarypredictverdictcontradict
Sources & notes
Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.
Pronunciation
- UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
- No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
- US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
- No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.
Origin: Built on Latin dīcō ‘to say, speak’.
Did you know: our wording, based on Lewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), entry dīcō, p. 570 · dictionary scan; Skeat, Etymological Dictionary (1898), entry VERDICT, p. 683 · dictionary scan
Roots
- dīcō, dīxī, dictum Latin “to say, speak”
Related words
Building blocks are an automatic split · open in app