judiciary

American  

[joo-dish-ee-er-ee, -dish-uh-ree] / dʒuˈdɪʃ iˌɛr i, -ˈdɪʃ ə ri /

noun

• judiciaries
  plural

1. the judicial branch of government.

2. the system of courts of justice in a country.

3. judges collectively.

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adjective

1. pertaining to the judicial branch or system or to judges.

judiciary British  

/ -ˈdɪʃərɪ, dʒuːˈdɪʃɪərɪ /

adjective

1. of or relating to courts of law, judgment, or judges

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noun

1. the branch of the central authority in a state concerned with the administration of justice Compare executive legislature

2. the system of courts in a country

3. the judges collectively; bench

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• subjudiciary
  adjective
• judiciarily
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• judiciaries
  plural

Etymology

Origin of judiciary

First recorded in 1580–90; originally an adjective, from Latin jūdiciārius “of the law courts,” equivalent to jūdici(um) “judgment” + -ārius adjective suffix; see judge, -ary

Explanation

The courts and the people who run them — particularly judges — make up the judiciary. Get caught painting graffiti on the courthouse? You just might find yourself facing the judiciary. Another way to say judiciary is "judicial system." It's where you go with a legal dispute, whether you're divorcing someone, suing someone, or accusing someone of a crime. The Latin root is judicium, or "judgment," which is exactly the job of the judiciary: to sit in judgment of people by interpreting the law and then applying it.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

judiciary judiciaries

A joint statement issued by the two sides highlighted agreement on two topics after several days of discussion: reforming the judiciary, and seeking access to frozen funds to aid in earthquake recovery efforts.

From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026

I do think one of the ways we’ve gotten to this point is the inactivity of Congress, and part of the story here is Congress’ deference to both the judiciary and the executive.

From Slate ● Aug. 10, 2026

You might very well pay more than your married neighbor — a penalty sanctioned by the state and judiciary.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026

The US Senate judiciary committee has a meeting scheduled for Tuesday, which could include a vote on Blanche's nomination.

From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026

I regard the British Parliament as the most democratic institution in the world, and the independence and impartiality of its judiciary never fail to arouse my admiration.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

The legal battle has been cited in two think tank reports as an example of the regime’s use of foreign judiciaries to attain its ends.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2023

A similar rule binds the judiciaries in all 50 states.

From Slate ● Jul. 31, 2023

A retired Colorado federal bankruptcy judge, Sid Brooks, who once helped train Russian judges about independent judiciaries, said he knew Palmieri from events at the consulate.

From Salon ● Dec. 5, 2022

He also highlighted what he called "better co-operation" between the Turkish and Saudi judiciaries.

From BBC ● Mar. 31, 2022

First, Europeans have for thousands of years been living in densely populated societies with central governments, police, and judiciaries.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond