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

Derived Forms

• chief justiceship
  noun

Etymology

Origin of chief justice

First recorded in 1685–95

Example Sentences

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