Question

dictum It has long been a dictum of American foreign policy that the government doesn't negotiate with kidnappers and terrorists. ˈdɪktəm

Accepted Answer

A formal and authoritative statement. The word dictum is frequently used in philosophy, but also in economics, political science, and other fields. Almost any condensed piece of wisdom—”The perfect is the enemy of the good,” “Buy low, sell high,” “All politics is local,” etc.—can be called a dictum. In the law, judges may often add to a written opinion an obiter dictum, or “statement made in passing”—a strong statement that isn't directly relevant to the case being decided. If they're well thought out and eloquent, obiter dicta (notice the plural form) may be referred to by later judges and lawyers for years afterward.

word	dictum
definition	A formal and authoritative statement.
eg_sentence	It has long been a dictum of American foreign policy that the government doesn't negotiate with kidnappers and terrorists.
explanation	The word dictum is frequently used in philosophy, but also in economics, political science, and other fields. Almost any condensed piece of wisdom—”The perfect is the enemy of the good,” “Buy low, sell high,” “All politics is local,” etc.—can be called a dictum. In the law, judges may often add to a written opinion an obiter dictum, or “statement made in passing”—a strong statement that isn't directly relevant to the case being decided. If they're well thought out and eloquent, obiter dicta (notice the plural form) may be referred to by later judges and lawyers for years afterward.
IPA	ˈdɪktəm

Dictum Judges Obiter Formal Authoritative Statement Long American