decree
de·cree/dɪˈkɹiː/noun, verb
decree is spelled D-E-C-R-E-E: 6 letters and 2 syllables (de·cree). It appears 6.6 times per million words in written English, the 9,313th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, decree means “An edict or law” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of decree is decrees.
How many letters and syllables are in decree?
| Letters | 6: D-E-C-R-E-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2: de·cree |
| In writing | 6.6 times per million words; the 9,313th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Same letters |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is decree?
Decree appears 6.6 times per million words in written English, the 9,313th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce decree?
- /dɪˈkɹiː/
- [dɪˈkʰɹʷɪi̯]
- /dəˈkɹiː/
Decree has 2 syllables, split de·cree in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-decree.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with decree?
No other word on PlainSpell ends in the same sounds as decree.
Spelled with the same letters in another order: recede.
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of decree
- decrees plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- decreeing participle, present
- decreed participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does decree mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
An edict or law.
- 2
The judicial decision in a litigated cause rendered by a court of equity.
- 3
The determination of a cause in a court of admiralty or court of probate.
- 4
A predetermination made by God; an act of providence.
verb
- 1
To command by a decree.
A court decrees a restoration of property.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Decree in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | décret , décréter |
| German | Erlass, Dekret, Verordnung , Verfügung, Beschluss, Entscheid |
| Portuguese | decreto , decretar |
| Spanish | decreto , decretar |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does decree come from?
From Middle English decre, decree, from Old French decré (French décret), from Latin dēcrētum.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).