Noun: dictum (dictums,dicta) dik-tum
- An authoritative declaration
"The court's dictum on the case set a new legal precedent";
- pronouncement, say-so
- (law) an opinion voiced by a judge on a point of law not directly bearing on the case in question and therefore not binding
"The judge's obiter dictum on corporate responsibility sparked debate among legal scholars";
- obiter dictum
Derived forms: dicta, dictums
Type of: declaration, judgement, judgment, legal opinion, opinion
Encyclopedia: Dictum