adjudication
Americannoun
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an act of adjudicating.
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Law.
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the act of a court in making an order, judgment, or decree.
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a judicial decision or sentence.
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a court decree in bankruptcy.
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Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of adjudication
First recorded in 1685–95, adjudication is from the Late Latin word adjūdicātiōn- (stem of adjūdicātiō ). See adjudicate, -ion
Explanation
After a long court trial, the judge reviews all the evidence to come to a conclusion about a case and that process is called adjudication. Adjudication comes from the Old French ajugier meaning "to judge, pass judgment on." An adjudication results in a formal judgment or decision given by a court. Often these adjudications lead to the making of history, like the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka trial in which the process of adjudication resulted in a decision that declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students unconstitutional.
Vocabulary lists containing adjudication
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United States v. Nixon (1974)
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Red Kayak
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“Simplifying and Modernizing the Disability Adjudication Process” is how Mark Warshawsky headlined his written remarks when he testified in 2023 before a congressional subcommittee examining the issue.
From Salon • Nov. 2, 2025
The case was referred to the Adjudication Panel for Wales who unanimously found the former Councillor had acted in breach of the code of conduct.
From BBC • Jun. 22, 2025
In 2018, the penalty for jumping a turnstile is a civil citation, similar to a traffic ticket, the accused can either pay a $100 fine or fight the case in the Transit Adjudication Bureau.
From Fox News • Jan. 3, 2022
A more correct name would be the “Facebook Content Moderation Adjudication Board” or “Facebook Content Governance Oversight Board.”
From Slate • May 5, 2021
If, on grounds of doctrine or conscience, the question be raised as to the binding character of any action, the said question shall be referred to the Commission of Adjudication.
From American Lutheranism Volume 2: The United Lutheran Church (General Synod, General Council, United Synod in the South) by Bente, F. (Friedrich)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
