French word

diktat

Pronunciation

IPA/diktat/

Meaning

  • masculine noundictate

Example

Nous avons rejeté ce diktat.

We rejected that dictate.

Illustration for diktat (dictate)

Core concept

A finished set of terms placed before others with no real chance to negotiate.

Similar words

imposition: The forceful imposition of something without the other party's consent.
contrainte: A state in which force or conditions limit freedom of action.
pression: Pressure from outside forces or expectations that prompts someone to act.
obligation: A duty or responsibility that must be fulfilled.

Definition in French

Action d'imposer sans consultation une règle, une condition ou un ultimatum, généralement vécue comme arbitraire.

Word origin

French diktat is borrowed from German Diktat, a noun ultimately related to the Latin verb dictare, meaning to dictate or command.

Usage tips

  • Diktat is a masculine noun in French, so the usual form is un diktat, with the plural des diktats.

Other meanings

  • ultimatumnoun

Word lists with this word