chief justice
Americannoun
-
Law. the presiding judge of a court having several members.
-
Official Title Chief Justice of the United States. (initial capital letters) the presiding judge of the U.S. Supreme Court.
noun
-
(in any of several Commonwealth countries) the judge presiding over a supreme court
-
(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.
It’s much more fun, as numerous stories about last week’s order did, to suggest slyly that the chief justice is doing a personal favor for the president.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
The invitation to the chief justice is in keeping with tradition and for aspiring lawyers, the presence of the country's top judge at their convocation is usually seen as a matter of pride.
From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026
McNamara said the EU had met with the opposition, government and even the chief justice to stress that any challenges to the vote outcome should be handled "peacefully".
From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026
He was a high school senior in 1954 when Warren, the new chief justice, spoke for a unanimous court to strike down racial segregation in the case of Brown vs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026
The chief justice of the Supreme Court stepped forward to administer the oath of office.
From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow
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.
