Phrase guide

ratio decidendi

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

The legal principle or rationale on which a judicial decision is based.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: law

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Borrowed from Medieval Latin ratiō dēcidendī, from ratiō (“reckoning, method, reasoning”) + dēcidendī, genitive singular of dēcidendus, gerund of dēcidere (“to settle”).

Across languages

Translations

3 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 判決依據 /判决依据 (pànjué yījù) — legal principle on which judicial decision is based
  • Finnish: oikeusohje — legal principle on which judicial decision is based
  • Greek: σκεπτικό (skeptikó) — legal principle on which judicial decision is based