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Ukase

2 stages from Russian to English.

Today it means an edict of the Russian tsar; any arbitrary order

Where does the word "ukase" come from? It comes from Russian ukaz, adopted directly into English (1720s).

1
Stage 1 of 2
ukaz
Russian · 1700s
"tsar's edict"
'decree', from ukazat' 'to show, order'; Peter the Great ruled through thousands of ukazes, among them the 1722 Table of Ranks
2
Stage 2 of 2
ukase
English · 1720s
"arbitrary decree"
came in through French ukase; Alexander I's 1821 ukase claiming the Pacific coast down to 51°N provoked US protests that fed into the 1823 Monroe Doctrine
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Ukase’s story begins in Russian: ukaz meant “tsar's edict.” 'decree', from ukazat' 'to show, order'; Peter the Great ruled through thousands of ukazes, among them the 1722 Table of Ranks. It reached English by 1720s as ukase. Came in through French ukase; Alexander I's 1821 ukase claiming the Pacific coast down to 51°N provoked US protests that fed into the 1823 Monroe Doctrine. Today, ukase means an edict of the Russian tsar; any arbitrary order.