magistrate

[ maj-uh-streyt, -strit ]

noun

1. a civil officer charged with the administration of the law.
2. a minor judicial officer, as a justice of the peace or the judge of a police court, having jurisdiction to try minor criminal cases and to conduct preliminary examinations of persons charged with serious crimes.

magistrate

/ ˈmædʒɪˌstreɪt; -strɪt /

noun

1. a public officer concerned with the administration of law magisterial
2. See justice of the peace
   another name for justice of the peace
3. See district court judge
   the former name for district court judge

Derived Forms

• ˈmagisˌtrateship, noun

Other Words From

• magis·trateship noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of magistrate¹

1350–1400; Middle English magistrat < Latin magistrātus magistracy, magistrate, equivalent to magist ( e ) r master + -ātus -ate ³

Word History and Origins

Origin of magistrate¹

C17: from Latin magistrātus, from magister master

Example Sentences

In addition, about three-quarters of the state’s magistrates have never practiced law, the investigation found.

From ProPublica

Under his plan, every magistrate would be required to be a practicing lawyer with a clean record.

From ProPublica

Tom Davis, a Republican, is asking his colleagues in the upper chamber this legislative session to bolster the legal qualifications for magistrates and add a layer of scrutiny to their appointments.

From ProPublica

Hand-picked by politicians, some magistrates were found to have accepted bribes, stolen money, flubbed trials, trampled over constitutional protections and mishandled even the most basic elements of criminal cases.

From ProPublica

As it stands, unless magistrates volunteer the information, even local delegation members are often left in the dark.

From ProPublica

But Jackson disregarded him and went straight to the magistrate.

From The Daily Beast

His father, Richard (Kevin McNally), is a local magistrate loyal to George III.

From The Daily Beast

She had thought it legal as the greyhounds were muzzled and the magistrate gave her an absolute discharge.

From The Daily Beast

The magistrate was informed that Loewen had already told authorities that his wife oversaw the family finances.

From The Daily Beast

On Friday afternoon, Loewen was brought in shackles before U.S. Magistrate Karen Humphreys in federal court in Wichita.

From The Daily Beast

The magistrate appeared to think such an occurrence not at all unlikely, as he committed him to prison for three months.

From Project Gutenberg

General Neill, who came later and assumed the rôle of magistrate, showed neither pity nor mercy.

From Project Gutenberg

She pampered her master, and, like him, preferred the elder of the magistrate's two sons.

From Project Gutenberg

Mollock's discharge by the magistrate put the Chief in a very ludicrous position.

From Project Gutenberg

John de Rotron, a distinguished French poet, dramatic writer and magistrate, died.

From Project Gutenberg