jurisdiction

[joor-is-dik-shuhn]

noun

1. the right, power, or authority to administer justice by hearing and determining controversies.

2. power; authority; control.

   He has jurisdiction over all American soldiers in the area.

3. the extent or range of judicial, law enforcement, or other authority.

   This case comes under the jurisdiction of the local police.

4. the territory over which authority is exercised.

   All islands to the northwest are his jurisdiction.

jurisdiction

/ ˌdʒʊərɪsˈdɪkʃən /

noun

1. the right or power to administer justice and to apply laws

2. the exercise or extent of such right or power

3. power or authority in general

Other Word Forms

• jurisdictional adjective
• jurisdictive adjective
• jurisdictionally adverb
• prejurisdiction noun
• superjurisdiction noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of jurisdiction¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Latin jūris dictiōn-, stem of jūris dictiō, literally, “a saying of law,” from jūris, genitive of jūs “law, right” ( jus ¹ ( def. ) ) + dictiō “rhetorical delivery, a saying” ( diction ); replacing Middle English jurediccioun, from Old French juredicion, from Latin, as above

Word History and Origins

Origin of jurisdiction¹

C13: from Latin jūrisdictiō administration of justice; see _{jus, diction}

Example Sentences

When the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was created 15 years ago to protect consumers in the financial marketplace, vehicle dealers were exempted from the agency’s jurisdiction after a lobbying campaign by the industry.

Read more on MarketWatch

Judges on the constitutional council dismissed eight petitions, citing insufficient evidence of irregularities or a lack of jurisdiction to annul results.

Read more on BBC

The International Court of Justice granted Phnom Penh sovereignty over one of the most coveted temples in 1962 and a small patch of land around it in 2013, but Thailand does not recognise its jurisdiction.

Read more on Barron's

For example, its new regime of export controls for critical minerals, scheduled to take effect Nov. 8, included its first assertion of extraterritorial jurisdiction.

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The deal says Binance knew that many of its users resided in jurisdictions covered by U.S. sanctions such as Iran, North Korea and Cuba.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• administration 
• arbitration 
• authority 
• command 
• commission 
• control 
• discretion 
• district 
• domination 
• influence 
• power 
• prerogative 
• purview 
• rule 
• scope 
• sovereignty 
• supervision 
• territory 
• zone