View synonyms for obiter dictum

obiter dictum

[ ob-i-ter dik-tuhm ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

, plural ob·i·ter dic·ta [ob, -i-ter , dik, -t, uh].

an incidental or passing remark, opinion, etc.
Law. an incidental or supplementary opinion by a judge in deciding a case, upon a matter not essential to the decision, and therefore not binding as precedent.

obiter dictum

/ ˈɒbɪtə ˈdɪktəm; ˈəʊ- /

law an observation by a judge on some point of law not directly in issue in the case before him and thus neither requiring his decision nor serving as a precedent, but nevertheless of persuasive authority
any comment, remark, or observation made in passing

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1805–15; < Latin: (a) saying by the way

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Latin: something said in passing

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"It is an obiter dictum," somebody said to me, apparently thinking that Latin would persuade me.

The assumption in this obiter dictum seemed to be that Rabelais is an obscene writer.

Purely as an obiter dictum the court discussed briefly the interpretation of the original act in respect to rate-making power.

Several decisions not only adopted the obiter dictum of the Osborne case, above described, but proceeded to expand upon it.

In the preceding chronicles no mention, I believe, has been made of one little bird that deserves more than a mere obiter dictum.

But the judges of the circuit courts know better, and never have enforced that obiter dictum.

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