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
Derived 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.
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
“Who is Salmon Chase?” he said, invoking the 19th-century chief justice of the Supreme Court, an Ohioan with a statue at the state capitol.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026
During his 2005 confirmation hearings to become chief justice, Roberts described an idyllic heartland childhood lifted from a John Cougar Mellencamp song, all “endless fields” that were “punctuated by an isolated silo or a barn.”
From Slate • May 7, 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
The chief justice of the Supreme Court stepped forward to administer the oath of office.
From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow
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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.