dictate
verb · noun
Simple meaning
To speak in order for someone to write down the words.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
dihktaytSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
dɪkˈteɪt
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
verb
To speak in order for someone to write down the words.
To order, command, control.
To determine or decisively affect.
noun
An order or command.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- C1 · Advanced
- Frequency
- Uncommon
- Typical Use
- Neutral / general English
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More ways to use dictate
- “He dictated a report to his secretary.”verb
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Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Word family
Words built from the same root.
A speaker who dictates to a secretary or a recording machine.
More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Synonyms
Sense: order or command
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.