magistrate

[ maj-uh-streyt, -strit ]
See synonyms for: magistratemagistrates on Thesaurus.com

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.

Origin of magistrate

1
1350–1400; Middle English magistrat<Latin magistrātus magistracy, magistrate, equivalent to magist(e)rmaster + -ātus-ate3

Other words from magistrate

  • mag·is·trate·ship, noun

Words that may be confused with magistrate

Words Nearby magistrate

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use magistrate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for magistrate

magistrate

/ (ˈmædʒɪˌstreɪt, -strɪt) /


noun
  1. a public officer concerned with the administration of law: Related adjective: magisterial

  2. another name for justice of the peace

  1. NZ the former name for district court judge

Origin of magistrate

1
C17: from Latin magistrātus, from magister master

Derived forms of magistrate

  • magistrateship, noun

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