interdictum, i, n. interdico. In gen., a prohibition: nequeone ego ted interdictis facere mansuetem meis? Plaut. As. 3, 1, 1: deorum, Cic. Pis. 21, 48.

— In partic., as a legal t. t., a provisional decree of the praetor, esp. in disputes of private persons respecting possession, prohibiting some act, a praetorian interdict: certis ex causis praetor aut proconsul auctoritatem suam finiendis controversiis interponit ... formulae verborum quibus in ea re utitur interdicta decretave vocantur: interdicta cum prohibet aliquid fieri, Gai. Inst. 4, 139 sq. (v. the context): ergo hac lege jus civile, causae possessionum, praetorum interdicta tollentur, Cic. Agr. 3, 3: possessionem per interdictum repetere, id. Caecin. 3: interdicto contendere cum aliquo, id. de Or. 1, 10: venire ad interdictum, Petr. 13 and 83 (for the different classes of interdicts and their effects, v. Gai. Inst. 4, 142 sqq.; Just. Inst. 4, 15 Sandars ad loc.).