An official order or proclamation issued by a ruler or government authority, having the force of law. Edicts were commonly used by monarchs and emperors to announce new policies, laws, or administrative changes throughout their territories.
From Latin 'edictum,' meaning 'something proclaimed,' derived from 'edicere' (to declare publicly). Roman magistrates used edicts to announce their policies, and the term continued through medieval and early modern European governance.
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