Decretal

//dɪˈkɹiːtəɫ// adj, noun

adj, noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A papal decree, particularly one derived from an ecclesiastical letter.

    "Or els is thys Goddis law, Decrees or decretals, Or holy sinodals, Or els provincyals, Thus within the wals Of holy church to deale[…]?"

  2. 2
    Any decree or pronounced instruction. archaic

    "[…] picturals / Of Magistrates, of courts, of tribunals, / Of commen wealthes, of states, of pollicy, / Of lawes, of iudgements, and of decretals […]"

Adjective
  1. 1
    Pertaining to a decree.

    "[T]his finding, when read in conjunction with the other findings, as well as decretal portions of the final judgment, is more logically interpreted as a reference to the successful operation of the business […]"

Example

More examples

"[T]his finding, when read in conjunction with the other findings, as well as decretal portions of the final judgment, is more logically interpreted as a reference to the successful operation of the business […]"

Etymology

From Middle French decretal, from Late Latin dēcrētālis, from Latin decretum.

Related phrases

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.