chief justice
Americannoun
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Law. the presiding judge of a court having several members.
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Official Title Chief Justice of the United States. (initial capital letters) the presiding judge of the U.S. Supreme Court.
noun
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(in any of several Commonwealth countries) the judge presiding over a supreme court
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(in the US) the presiding judge of a court composed of a number of members
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of chief justice
First recorded in 1685–95
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.
“Eliminating racial discrimination,” the chief justice wrote, “means eliminating all of it.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 17, 2026
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
He’s a 71-year-old chief justice now, not a 26-year-old staffer.
From Slate • May 13, 2026
With the Court divided 4-4, it was former Justice Anthony Kennedy who gave the chief justice — and obfuscation — the win.
From Salon • Apr. 22, 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
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.
