adjudicate

[ uh-joo-di-keyt ]

/ əˈdʒu dɪˌkeɪt /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR adjudicate ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), ad·ju·di·cat·ed, ad·ju·di·cat·ing.

to pronounce or decree by judicial sentence.

to settle or determine (an issue or dispute) judicially.

verb (used without object), ad·ju·di·cat·ed, ad·ju·di·cat·ing.

to sit in judgment (usually followed by upon).

Nearby words

Origin of adjudicate

First recorded in 1690–1700, adjudicate is from the Latin word adjūdicātus (past participle of adjūdicāre). See ad-, judge, -ate¹

Related forms

ad·ju·di·ca·tive

[uh-joo-di-key-tiv, ‐kuh-tiv] /əˈdʒu dɪˌkeɪ tɪv, ‐kə tɪv/, ad·ju·di·ca·to·ry

[uh-joo-di-kuh-tawr-ee, ‐tohr-ee] /əˈdʒu dɪ kəˌtɔr i, ‐ˌtoʊr i/, adjectivead·ju·di·ca·tor, nounmis·ad·ju·di·cat·ed, adjectivenon·ad·ju·di·cat·ed, adjective

non·ad·ju·di·ca·tive, adjectivenon·ad·ju·di·ca·tive·ly, adverbre·ad·ju·di·cate, verb, re·ad·ju·di·cat·ed, re·ad·ju·di·cat·ing.un·ad·ju·di·cat·ed, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for adjudicate

But law enforcement and the courts were torn on how to adjudicate the matter.
Does Your Marriage Need a Digital Privacy Clause?|Keli Goff|April 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The folks from RecordSetter.com were there, the hosts told the hopeful twerkers, to adjudicate and certify the world record.
Scandal in Twerktown: Big Freedia’s Twerking World Record Challenged|Brian Ries|September 26, 2013|DAILY BEAST
With the war having destroyed the judicial system, Syrians seek out members of ISIS to adjudicate disputes.
How U.S. Strikes on Syria Help al Qaeda|Barak Barfi|August 28, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Mexico has comparable federal bureaucratic structures, as well as an independent Electoral Tribunal to adjudicate disputes.
Too Soon For 2016! How To End Our Endless Presidential Election Season|Raymond A. Smith|January 26, 2013|DAILY BEAST

First, Congress should eliminate the power of federal courts to adjudicate separation of powers cases.
After Health-Care Ruling, Time to Reconsider Supreme Court’s Power|David R. Dow|July 8, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Even Solomon did not disdain to hear the rival wranglings of a pair of harlots, and to adjudicate between them.
The History of Prostitution|William W. Sanger
Superior force may end in conquest; this is the natural consequence; but it cannot adjudicate any right.
Charles Sumner; his complete works, volume 1 (of 20)|Charles Sumner
Too often he was a man of no better education than the mass of litigants upon whose causes he was called to adjudicate.
Law and Laughter|George Alexander Morton
The magistrate holding a commission was to attend to the legal duties and adjudicate all suits in connection therewith.
The Audiencia in the Spanish Colonies|Charles Henry Cunningham
The United States will adjudicate and settle the claims of its citizens against Spain relinquished in this article.
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman

British Dictionary definitions for adjudicate

adjudicate

/ (əˈdʒuːdɪˌkeɪt) /

verb

(when intr, usually foll by upon) to give a decision (on), esp a formal or binding one

(intr) to act as an adjudicator

(tr) chess to determine the likely result of (a game) by counting relative value of pieces, positional strength, etc

(intr) to serve as a judge or arbiter, as in a competition

Derived Formsadjudication, nounadjudicative (əˈdʒuːdɪkətɪv), adjective

Word Origin for adjudicate

C18: from Latin adjūdicāre to award something to someone, from ad- to + jūdicāre to act as a judge, from jūdex judge

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for adjudicate