chief justice

American  

[cheef juhs-tis] / ˈtʃif ˈdʒʌs tɪs /

noun

1. Law. the presiding judge of a court having several members.

2. Official Title Chief Justice of the United States.  (initial capital letters) the presiding judge of the U.S. Supreme Court.

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chief justice British  

noun

1. (in any of several Commonwealth countries) the judge presiding over a supreme court

2. (in the US) the presiding judge of a court composed of a number of members

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Other Word Forms

• chief justiceship
  noun

Etymology

Origin of chief justice

First recorded in 1685–95

Example Sentences

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

A 28-year-old White House lawyer named John Roberts—now the chief justice of the Supreme Court—wrote a memo for his bosses that agreed in part with the Carter administration position.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

The governor and chief justice also get appointments.

From Slate • Apr. 10, 2026

The bench includes Justice BV Nagarathna, the lone female judge in the top court who is due to become India's chief justice next year, and judges drawn from different faiths, castes and regions.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 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