Fact · Dictation
Merriam-Webster defines dictation as the act or manner of uttering words to be transcribed, and also as the material that is dictated or transcribed.
Checked against its source on October 16, 2026
In the source's own words
“the act or manner of uttering words to be transcribed (2) : material that is dictated or transcribed”
Dictation (definition, etymology and first known use), Merriam-Webster editors, Merriam-Webster, 2026, Definition, sense 2a.
Open the original- What it measures
- The entry also lists an older sense, an arbitrary command, which survives in the verb 'to dictate terms'.
- What it does not show
- A dictionary describes how the word is used. It does not say whether a person or software does the writing.
Source
Cited on
- What Is Dictation Software? Types and How It WorksGuide
- What Is Dictation? Voice Typing and Talk to Text ExplainedGuide
- What does it mean to take dictation?Question
- What is a dictation exercise in school?Question
- What is the difference between dictation and diction?Question
- What is the difference between dictation and transcription?Question
- DictationGlossary