ratio decidendi

noun

ra·​tio de·​ci·​den·​di
ˈrā-shē-ˌō-ˌde-sə-ˈden-ˌdī, ˈrā-ˌshō-, -ˌdā-sē-ˈden-dē
: the principle or rule constituting the basis of a court decision

Word History

Etymology

Latin, grounds for deciding

Dictionary Entries Near ratio decidendi

Cite this Entry

“Ratio decidendi.” Merriam-Webster.com Legal Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/legal/ratio%20decidendi. Accessed 9 Oct. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!