A commandment is a serious rule or order given by someone in authority, especially one meant to guide how people should live and behave. The word appears most famously in the Bible's Ten Commandments, which are fundamental rules meant to guide human conduct, like “You shall not steal” or “Honor your father and mother.” These aren't casual suggestions but solemn instructions that religious communities have followed for thousands of years.

The word carries weight beyond ordinary rules. Your teacher might give you a rule about raising your hand before speaking, but a commandment suggests something more serious and lasting. When religious texts or leaders issue commandments, they're establishing principles meant to shape entire ways of life.

You'll sometimes hear the word used more broadly for any serious directive from authority. A king might issue a commandment to his subjects, or a general might give commandments to troops. In everyday speech, people occasionally use it with gentle humor: “My grandmother's first commandment of cooking is to never rush good soup.”

What makes something a commandment rather than just a request is both the authority of whoever gives it and the expectation that it represents a deep principle, not just a temporary convenience.