decretive
- noun
- /dɪˈkriːtɪv/
- Archaic
- After much debate, the council finally issued a decretive to resolve the dispute.
Examples
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The king issued a decretive to establish new laws.
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Historians found a decretive from the 17th century among the old manuscripts.
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The king's decretive was read aloud to the assembled crowd in the square.
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In ancient Rome, a decretive often changed the course of history.
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The king's decretive was read aloud to the assembled crowd in the square.
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After much debate, the council finally issued a decretive to resolve the dispute.
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Historians found a decretive from the 17th century among the old manuscripts.
Synonyms
An official order that a government or person in power gives
An official rule made by a ruler or council
A formal official order given by a church or court
How Authoritative
Surface Forms
Morphology
decretive = decree (semi-transparent) = decret + ive
Although built from 'decree' + '-ive', the noun sense meaning 'an official order' is non-standard (the suffix -ive normally forms adjectives), so learners may not predict the nominal meaning.
Etymology
Decretive is built on the familiar word decree (an official decision) and the idea behind decide 'to make a choice'. So a decretive as a noun is an official order or formal decision, like a ruling from a ruler or council.