Read along with the three podcasts, or open the full dictionary entry for Commandment for the definition, Arabic meaning, synonyms and example sentences.
Narrator: Today's word is Commandment — noun, pronounced /kəˈmɑːndmənt/, with the stress on com.
Narrator: A commandment is an authoritative order or a divine rule that must be obeyed.
Narrator: In plain English, it is an instruction given with the highest level of gravity and expectation of compliance.
Narrator: It derives from the Old French commander, which roots back to the Latin commandare, meaning to commit or entrust.
Narrator: A common collocation is the Ten Commandments, which describes the foundational moral laws in religious tradition.
Narrator: It differs from suggestion, as a commandment implies that no choice exists regarding whether to follow the instruction.
Narrator: In a figurative sense, it is often used to describe any overarching principle or essential rule for success.
Narrator: This word is frequently used in theology, law, historical discourse, and even creative writing about ethics.
Narrator: So remember: a commandment is more than a request; it is a fundamental decree that demands your absolute attention.
Speaker A: Why does the word commandment feel so much heavier than a normal rule?
Speaker B: It carries immense weight because a COMMANDMENT, from the Latin prefix com and mandare, implies a sacred or supreme authority behind the order.
Speaker A: Could you provide some example sentences to show the nuance?
Speaker B: She followed the first commandment of coding: always document your work; this highlights a crucial rule.
Speaker A: Are there other ways to use it?
Speaker B: He treated punctuality as a personal commandment; here it denotes a self-imposed absolute standard.
Speaker A: And a third context?
Speaker B: The archaic text laid out every commandment for the community; this refers to formal, binding legalistic codes.
Speaker A: Common mistakes?
Speaker B: People often mistake it for a simple demand, but it lacks the divine or supreme authority, while synonyms like edict, mandate, and precept work as cousin, twin, and alternative, and this word keeps its authoritative charm!
Speaker B: Let's use commandment in AI prompts — useful for establishing absolute constraints in software architecture and ethical compliance modules.
Speaker A: How do we apply this in a prompt regarding system security?
Speaker B: Use it to define a non-negotiable protocol for data handling.
Prompt: Act as a security auditor and define the primary commandment for all incoming API data requests to ensure strict sanitisation.
Speaker A: How about for defining core design principles in UI development?
Speaker B: Position it as the guiding rule for the user interface layout.
Prompt: Establish a core design commandment that prioritises user accessibility over aesthetic flourishes for this mobile application dashboard.
Speaker A: Can we use it to enforce coding standards in an automated review?
Speaker B: Yes, it creates a high-stakes framework for the code refactoring process.
Prompt: List the ultimate commandment for maintaining modularity in our microservices codebase and identify where we currently violate it.
Speaker A: One more?
Speaker B: Use it to set a foundational rule for an AI character's moral compass in game development.
Prompt: Draft a moral commandment for the NPC protagonist that dictates they must never lie to the player regardless of the situation.
Commandment — meaning in Arabic & definition More C courses GL Dictionary