directive

C2+ Topic:Law & Government

US /dɪˈrɛktɪv/ UK /dɪˈrɛktɪv/ See IPA manual

noun adj

Meanings

1

noun
an official instruction or order issued by an authority

The new directive required all staff to file reports by Friday.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · an official instruction or... instruction order command mandate decree edict ordinance

Word family

Related forms direct direction director directorate

Etymology

From Medieval Latin directivus, from Latin directus, past participle of dirigere ('to set straight, guide'), from dis- (intensive) plus regere ('to rule, lead straight').

directus Latin dirigere Latin regere Latin *h₃reǵ- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Law & Government Word Formation & Derivatives

# directive

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun, adj
**IPA (US):** dɪˈrɛktɪv
**IPA (UK):** dɪˈrɛktɪv

## Meanings
1. an official instruction or order issued by an authority

## Examples
- The new directive required all staff to file reports by Friday.

## Synonyms
- instruction
- order
- command
- mandate
- decree
- edict
- ordinance

## Related Forms
- direct
- direction
- director
- directorate

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: directus
- Root: dirigere
- Root: regere
- Root: *h₃reǵ-

## Etymology
From Medieval Latin directivus, from Latin directus, past participle of dirigere ('to set straight, guide'), from dis- (intensive) plus regere ('to rule, lead straight').

## AI Etymology
Directive comes from Medieval Latin directivus, from Latin directus, past participle of dirigere ('to set straight, guide'), from dis- (intensive) plus regere ('to rule, lead straight'). The etymological trail includes Latin directus, Latin dirigere, Latin regere, and Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ-. As a noun, directive names an official instruction or order issued by an authority. The same family is visible in related forms such as direct, direction, director, and directorate.

## Topics
- Law & Government
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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directive

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