chief justice

American  

[cheef juhs-tis] / ˈtʃif ˈdʒʌs tɪs /

noun

1. Law. the presiding judge of a court having several members.

2. Official Title Chief Justice of the United States.  (initial capital letters) the presiding judge of the U.S. Supreme Court.

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chief justice British  

noun

1. (in any of several Commonwealth countries) the judge presiding over a supreme court

2. (in the US) the presiding judge of a court composed of a number of members

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• chief justiceship
  noun

Etymology

Origin of chief justice

First recorded in 1685–95

Example Sentences

The former chief justice, who hopes to run for president in the 2027 election, was arrested along with nine others.

From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026

But if we are to believe the chief justice, there’s nothing to see here.

From Salon • May 9, 2026

There was at least some suggestion that the chief justice and Justice Barrett didn’t entirely accept the maximalist position that Solicitor General John Sauer was aiming for.

From Slate • May 4, 2026

“It certainly sounds like he’s talking about John Roberts,” said Kevin McMahon, a political scientist at Trinity College who studies the Supreme Court, referring to the chief justice.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 18, 2026

I remember really only the smallest things—how brightly the sun fell across Barack’s forehead just then, how a respectful hush came over the crowd as the Supreme Court chief justice, John Roberts, began the proceedings.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama