Letters and spelling
This list collects words built on the Latin root dict, meaning 'to say' or 'to speak.' It's aimed at students learning word roots, writers curious about etymology, and anyone preparing for a vocabulary or spelling test that covers Latin roots.
| Word | Meaning | In a sentence | Save |
|---|---|---|---|
| dictateverb | To state or command something with authority, or to speak words aloud for someone else to write down. | The general dictated the terms of the ceasefire without allowing room for negotiation. | |
| dictationnoun | The act of speaking words aloud for another person, or a machine, to write down or type. | The manager gave dictation of the letter to her assistant. | |
| dictatornoun | A ruler who holds absolute power over a country, typically seized or maintained by force. | The dictator banned all opposition parties within months of seizing control of the government. | |
| dictatorialadjective | Behaving like a dictator, especially by giving orders without allowing others any freedom or choice. | Employees resented his dictatorial style of managing every small decision. | |
| dictionnoun | The choice and use of words in speech or writing, especially regarding clarity and style. | The poet was known for her precise, evocative diction. | |
| dictionarynoun | A reference book or resource that lists words alphabetically with their meanings and pronunciations. | He looked up the unfamiliar word in a dictionary before finishing his essay. | |
| edictnoun | An official order or proclamation issued by a person or group in authority. | The emperor issued an edict requiring all citizens to register for the census. | |
| predictverb | To say what you think will happen in the future. | The dark clouds led us to predict rain before evening. | |
| predictableadjective | Able to be known or expected in advance, based on patterns or past behavior. | The ending of the movie was so predictable that everyone guessed it early on. | |
| predictionnoun | A statement about what someone believes will happen in the future, based on evidence or judgment. | The weather service issued a prediction of heavy snow for the weekend. | |
| unpredictableadjective | Not able to be known or foreseen in advance; likely to change without warning. | Mountain weather can be unpredictable, changing from sunshine to storm within an hour. | |
| contradictverb | To assert the opposite of a statement, or to be inconsistent with something already stated. | The witness's new testimony seemed to contradict what she had told police earlier. | |
| contradictionnoun | A statement, idea, or situation that is opposite to or inconsistent with another. | There's a clear contradiction between what he promised and what he actually did. | |
| contradictoryadjective | Containing or expressing ideas that oppose or are inconsistent with each other. | The two witnesses gave contradictory accounts of what happened that night. | |
| verdictnoun | The formal decision made by a jury or judge on a disputed question in a trial. | The jury deliberated for six hours before delivering a guilty verdict. | |
| indictverb | To formally charge someone with a serious crime, usually after a legal process such as a grand jury review. | The grand jury voted to indict the former executive on charges of fraud. | |
| indictmentnoun | A formal written accusation charging a person with a serious crime. | The court unsealed the indictment, revealing twelve separate counts of embezzlement. | |
| benedictionnoun | A spoken blessing, especially one given at the end of a religious service. | The priest offered a benediction before the congregation left the church. | |
| maledictionnoun | A curse, or a spoken wish that harm or misfortune will come to someone. | The old woman muttered a malediction at the men who had cheated her. | |
| jurisdictionnoun | The official power or authority to make legal decisions and judgments, or the territory in which that authority applies. | The case fell outside the court's jurisdiction, so it was transferred elsewhere. | |
| valedictoriannoun | The student with the highest academic rank in a graduating class, chosen to give a farewell speech. | As valedictorian, she thanked her teachers and classmates in her graduation speech. | |
| addictnoun | A person who is unable to stop using a substance or engaging in a harmful habit. | He became an addict after years of using painkillers prescribed for an old injury. | |
| interdictverb | To officially prohibit an action, or to intercept and block something, especially in a military or legal context. | The navy was ordered to interdict any vessels suspected of smuggling weapons. | |
| dictumnoun | A formal statement of a principle, or a short, memorable saying that expresses a general truth. | He lived by the old dictum that honesty is the best policy. |
No matching words in this collection.
The Latin root dict comes from dicere, 'to say.' A dictionary lists what words say or mean, a prediction says what will happen before it does, and a verdict is literally 'a true saying.' Spotting this root in an unfamiliar word is a quick way to guess that speech or statement is somehow involved.
It means 'to say' or 'to speak,' as seen in dictate, predict, and verdict.