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Obiter Dictum for Dummies

noun

pronunciation: 'ɑbɪtər_'dɪktəm

What does Obiter Dictum really mean?

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Hey there! So you're curious about what "obiter dictum" means, right? Don't worry, I'm here to help you out and explain it in the best and simplest way possible.

Now, "obiter dictum" is actually a Latin term, but we can break it down to understand it better. "Obiter" means "incidentally" or "by the way," and "dictum" means "something said" or "a statement." So when we put those two words together, "obiter dictum" refers to a statement or remark that is made incidentally or in passing.

Let me try to explain it with an analogy for better clarity. You know when we're having a conversation, and sometimes we say something that's not directly related to our main point, but it's like an additional comment? Well, that's similar to what an obiter dictum is. It's a comment or statement that a person, usually a judge, makes during a court case that is not really necessary for the decision but is still said as an additional thought or opinion.

To give you an example, let's say a judge is deciding a case about a person who accidentally damaged their neighbor's car while trying to park. The judge makes a statement like, "By the way, this reminds me of the time when I had a similar incident with my own car." Now, that statement is an obiter dictum because it's not directly related to the decision the judge is going to make about the case, but they still mentioned it.

So, to sum it up, "obiter dictum" is a statement or remark made incidentally or in passing, usually by a judge during a court case, that isn't necessary for the decision. It's like a little extra comment thrown in during a conversation or legal argument.

I hope that explanation helped you understand the meaning of "obiter dictum" better! If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.

Revised and Fact checked by Elizabeth Martin on 2023-10-28 00:36:00

Obiter Dictum In a sentece

Learn how to use Obiter Dictum inside a sentece

  • The teacher mentioned in passing that the student's handwriting needed improvement, but it was not directly related to the lesson.
  • The coach's comment about the player's personal life during a press conference was considered an obiter dictum since it did not pertain to the team's performance.
  • In a discussion about healthy eating, my friend mentioned that eating chocolate cake every day is not recommended, but that was just an obiter dictum as we were talking about fruits and vegetables.
  • During a class debate about climate change, a student made a random remark about their favorite TV show, which was considered an obiter dictum because it didn't contribute to the main topic.
  • While discussing different careers, the career counselor mentioned that becoming a doctor requires many years of education and hard work, but her comment about her personal preference for being a dancer was an obiter dictum as it was unrelated to the discussion.

Obiter Dictum Synonyms

Words that can be interchanged for the original word in the same context.

Obiter Dictum Hypernyms

Words that are more generic than the original word.

Obiter Dictum Category

The domain category to which the original word belongs.