ipse dixit
1
9.9
- noun
- /ˈɪpseɪ ˈdɪksɪt/
- Formal
:
ipse dixit
- All these assertions are bald in that they are made without reference to any supporting authority and are presented in true ipse dixit fashion.
Examples
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Can class certification be based on nothing more than the ipse dixit of the named plaintiffs?
Blog text (24) -
Here, you have repeated the same mischaracterization errors and ad hominem fallacies while adding a case of ipse dixit.
Blog text (13) -
Further, the statement "he is only interested in providing the best data available" is an excellent example of ipse dixit.
Blog text (16) -
The professor dismissed her argument as mere ipse dixit, lacking any evidence to support it.
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In his latest speech, he relied heavily on ipse dixit rather than providing data for his claims.
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Critics often reject his theories due to their reliance on ipse dixit instead of rigorous research.
Synonyms
1
9.9
A statement made without evidence and presented as true
Antonyms
How Supported
Surface Forms
Morphology
ipse + dixit
The literal Latin constituents 'ipse' (himself) + 'dixit' (said) yield 'he himself said', so a learner who knows both would understand it denotes an assertion. However, the specialized idiomatic sense ‘a claim asserted without proof’ and the connotation of dogmatism are not directly derivable from the literal wording and rely on convention and historical/legal usage, so full understanding requires prior exposure.
Etymology
Ipse dixit comes from Latin: the words ipse ('himself') and dixit ('said') literally mean 'he himself said it'. Because people once accepted an idea just because an important person 'said it', the phrase now means 'a claim with no proof'.