# decree

/dɪˈkɹi/ (US) · /dɪkɹˈiː/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/decree
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. official law or order

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

an official order or rule made by a government or a leader.

For teachers: an authoritative order having the force of law, typically issued by a head of state or government.

- The president issued a decree to change the national holiday.
- The emergency decree was signed into law at midnight, granting the executive branch sweeping powers to manage the escalating crisis.

### 2. court decision

noun · CEFR C2 · Formal · Technical

a final decision made by a judge in a court of law.

For teachers: the judicial decision or determination of a litigated cause, particularly in courts of equity, probate, or admiralty.

- The court's final decree settled the dispute over the family property.
- The final decree of the probate court distributed the remaining assets among the distant relatives, ending three years of bitter litigation.

### 3. divine will

noun · CEFR C2 · Formal · Literary

a decision or plan made by God.

For teachers: a predetermination or act of providence attributed to a divine power.

- In many old stories, the hero's path is fixed by a divine decree.
- Theologians debated whether human suffering was the result of a divine decree or the consequence of free will.

### 4. to order officially

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to officially decide or order that something must happen.

For teachers: to command, ordain, or decide by authoritative order. Transitive — usually takes a 'that' clause or a direct object.

- The king decreed that all citizens must pay a new tax.
- The council decreed that the historic district would be preserved, effectively halting all modern construction projects in the city centre.

## Examples

- The king issued a decree to lower taxes.
- The new government passed a decree that all citizens must register their primary residence by the end of the month.
- Historians argue that the sudden imperial decree changed the social fabric of the region more effectively than decades of gradual cultural exchange ever could.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.