Foredecree

/ˌfɔːrˈdiːkriː/ verb

Definition

To decree or command something beforehand; to establish by prior decree what will happen in the future.

Etymology

From Old English 'fore-' (before) + 'decree' from Latin 'decernere' (to decide). The prefix combines with decree to suggest a decision made in advance of events.

Kelly Says

This word reveals how medieval and Renaissance thinkers grappled with fate versus free will—if God could 'foredecree' all events, were humans truly free? This question obsessed philosophers for centuries.

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