dictate

Where does the word "dictate" come from? It comes from Latin dictare, and was adopted directly into English (1620s).

Dictate’s story begins in Latin: dictare meant “to say repeatedly, to prescribe.” To say repeatedly, to prescribe, from dicere (to say). It reached English by 1620s as dictate. Settled as the English word for speaking words for another to write, or issuing orders. Today, dictate means to state words for another to write down, or to lay down rules with authority.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient dictare "to say repeatedly, to prescribe", to say repeatedly, to prescribe, from dicere (to say).
2. Stage 2 · English · 1620s dictate "to speak words for another to write, or to issue authoritative orders", settled as the English word for speaking words for another to write, or issuing orders.