From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishedicte‧dict /ˈiːdɪkt/ noun [countable] formal 1 SCLan official public order made by someone in a position of power SYN decree The emperor issued an edict forbidding anyone to leave the city.2 TELL/ORDER somebody TO DO somethingany order – used humorously
Examples from the Corpus
edict• So the recommendations are a helpful guideline, not a biblical edict.• There, I predict that any such legislative edict would be tossed out on its ear.• Hence we see, at the end of edicts and ordinances, these words: For such is our pleasure.• Perpich learned how much state employees resented edicts sent down from the senior management.• Where it could, it expropriated resources by simple edict.• Above me, I fear the edicts of heaven.Origin edict (1400-1500) Latin edictum, from the past participle of edicere “to give out an official statement” 