bailiwick
Americannoun
-
the district within which a bailie or bailiff has jurisdiction.
-
a person's area of skill, knowledge, authority, or work.
to confine suggestions to one's own bailiwick.
- Synonyms:
- turf, territory, sphere, department, domain
noun
-
law the area over which a bailiff has jurisdiction
-
a person's special field of interest, authority, or skill
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of bailiwick
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, equivalent to baili- bailie + wick wick 3
Explanation
A bailiwick is an area of knowledge in which a person or institution has control or expertise — as in "My bailiwick is international relations." There is a faintly old-fashioned, even pedantic air to the term now, so use with caution. Bailiwick can also mean a geographical area over which an official body has legal or political control, though this literal sense is less common nowadays. The word combines the Old English term bailiff, a local law officer, with -wick, a suffix denoting a specific district or jurisdiction. Britain's central criminal court, the famous Old Bailey, is so named because it was built along the ancient bailey — the defensive wall surrounding the original City of London.
Vocabulary lists containing bailiwick
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Secret History
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
How the Other Half Lives
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
The family has used trusts organized in the Bailiwick of Jersey, in the Channel Islands between England and France, among other jurisdictions, to hold their wealth, according to McMahon's opinion.
From Reuters • Dec. 18, 2021
Meanwhile, Ratnesh Bagdai, co-founder of Brindisa and The Bailiwick Free House, said it was "frightening to see how central London has emptied" after the prime minister's speech.
From BBC • Dec. 15, 2021
Smith, 38, moved to D.C. from Ohio a decade ago and in 2016 started Bailiwick, a clothing company that specializes in D.C.-inspired designs, with his brother Jeff.
From Washington Post • Feb. 7, 2019
He then entered it into the Bailiwick Bass Club open competition, pretending he had caught it in an arduous sea fishing contest.
From The Guardian • Jan. 11, 2013
And a few were saved to stretch the judicial ropes of the Bailiwick.
From Red Axe by Crockett, S. R. (Samuel Rutherford)
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.
