didactic

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adjective di·dac·tic \ dī-ˈdak-tik , də- \

Definition of didactic

1 a :designed or intended to teach

b :intended to convey instruction and information as well as pleasure and entertainment

didactic poetry

2 :making moral observations

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didactical

play \-ti-kəl\ adjective

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didactically

play \-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

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didacticism

play \-tə-ˌsi-zəm\ noun

See didactic defined for English-language learners

See didactic defined for kids

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Examples of didactic in a Sentence

Slaves related human as well as animal trickster tales; they told Bible stories, explanatory tales, moralistic and didactic tales, supernatural tales and legends. —Lawrence W. Levine, The Unpredictable Past, 1993
For two decades, many Americans, including some early advocates of the Vietnam intervention, have been relentlessly didactic, extracting cautionary lessons from Vietnam. —George F. Will, Newsweek, 22 May 1989
—the trappings, one might say—of a didactic and resolutely pious Victorian sensibility in the service of an anarchic imagination. —Joyce Carol Oates, The Profane Art, 1983
the poet's works became increasingly didactic after his religious conversion

Recent Examples of didactic from the Web

But the result is rather stilted, yoked to the cult of individual scientific genius, embellished with umoored quotations from Western thinkers, and delivered in a tone that often reads as didactic.

— Philly.com, "Mario Livio's 'Why': A stilted, elitist look at human curiosity," 20 Aug. 2017
On subsequent songs, McKenna addressed trans youth, right-wing media, religious zealotry and the challenges of being a young person in an often dark world—and did it in a deft, tuneful, non-didactic way.

— john norris, Billboard, "With Politics, Eye Makeup & That Album Cover, Declan McKenna Goes Bold," 15 Aug. 2017
Though the script tilts to the didactic, the performances by Timothy Spall and Colm Meaney are delicious.

— seattle times staff, The Seattle Times, "6 movies open July 7; here’s how they rate," 7 July 2017
Each episode is the staging ground for a thoughtful, witty discussion of a hot topic (gender, race, class, etc.), but never in a way that becomes preachy or didactic.

— richard lawson, vanityfair.com, "The Ranch Is One of TV’s Most Engaging Comedies, Though It Probably Shouldn’t Be," 21 June 2017
Each episode is the staging ground for a thoughtful, witty discussion of a hot topic (gender, race, class, etc.), but never in a way that becomes preachy or didactic.

— richard lawson, HWD, "The Ranch Is One of TV’s Most Engaging Comedies, Though It Probably Shouldn’t Be," 21 June 2017
Unfortunately, the word that Warner Bros. has had trouble inserting into some print ads also applies to this didactic, static harangue.

— thr staff, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Full Metal Jacket': THR's 1987 Review," 17 June 2017
Yes, the script by Paul Laverty is didactic at times.

— laura demarco, cleveland.com, "'I, Daniel Blake': A modern British tragedy from Ken Loach (movie review)," 8 June 2017
Comey’s statement was a didactic tale crystallizing the essence of Washington: Machiavellian power struggles.

— chad pergram, Fox News, "Comey testimony already a page-turner," 8 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'didactic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

We Will Teach You the Origin of didactic

Didaktikos is a Greek word that means "apt at teaching." It comes from didaskein, meaning "to teach." Something "didactic" does just that: teaches or instructs. "Didactic" conveyed that neutral meaning when it was first borrowed in the 17th century, and still does; a didactic piece of writing is one that is meant to be instructive as well as artistic. Parables are generally didactic because they aim to teach a moral lesson. "Didactic" now sometimes has negative connotations, too, however. Something "didactic" is often overburdened with instruction to the point of being dull. Or it might be pompously instructive or moralistic.

Origin and Etymology of didactic

Greek didaktikos, from didaskein to teach

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1658

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didactic Synonyms

Synonyms

sermonic, homiletic (or homiletical), moralistic, moralizing, preachy, sententious

Related Words

dogmatic (also dogmatical), prescriptive; admonishing, admonitory, cautionary; advisory, enlightening, instructive; holier-than-thou, self-righteous

DIDACTIC Defined for English Language Learners

didactic

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adjective

Definition of didactic for English Language Learners

: designed or intended to teach people something
—used to describe someone or something that tries to teach something (such as proper or moral behavior) in a way that is annoying or unwanted