jury

¹ American  

[joor-ee] / ˈdʒʊər i /

noun

• juries
  plural

1. a group of persons sworn to render a verdict or true answer on a question or questions officially submitted to them.

2. such a group selected according to law and sworn to inquire into or determine the facts concerning a cause or an accusation submitted to them and to render a verdict to a court.

3. a group of persons chosen to adjudge prizes, awards, etc., as in a competition.

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verb (used with object)

juried, jurying

1. to judge or evaluate by means of a jury.

   All entries will be juried by a panel of professionals.

idioms

1. the jury is (still) out, a decision, determination, or opinion has yet to be rendered.

   The jury is still out on the president's performance.

jury ² American  

[joor-ee] / ˈdʒʊər i /

adjective

Nautical.

1. makeshift or temporary, as for an emergency.

   a jury mast.

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jury ¹ British  

/ ˈdʒʊərɪ /

noun

1. a group of, usually twelve, people sworn to deliver a true verdict according to the evidence upon a case presented in a court of law See also grand jury petit jury

2. a body of persons appointed to judge a competition and award prizes

3. informal it has not yet been decided or agreed on

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jury ² British  

/ ˈdʒʊərɪ /

adjective

1. nautical (in combination) makeshift

   jury-rigged

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Grammar

See collective noun.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• juryless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• juries
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of jury¹

1250–1300; Middle English jurie, juree, < Old French juree oath, juridical inquiry, noun use of juree, feminine past participle of jurer to swear; cf. jurat

Origin of jury²

1610–20; compare jury mast (early 17th century), of obscure origin; perhaps to be identified with late Middle English i ( u ) were help, aid, aphetic form of Old French ajurie, derivative of aidier to aid, with -rie -ry

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Explanation

A jury is a group that decides a contest or a court case together. If you get summoned for jury duty and get picked as one of the 12 members of the jury, you’ll help decide if someone is guilty or not. A jury is any group that makes a group decision. In the County Fair, the stakes aren't so high — just respect for your baking skills or pig-raising talents. But many juries are convened by courts to decide whether someone is innocent or guilty. In this case, the jury is sworn to act according to the law. Jury comes from the Old French word for "oath," pointing to the promise to deliver the truth that a jury swears to.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

jury juries juried jurying

Clancy's first trial ended in a mistrial after a 12-person jury failed to reach a consensus.

From BBC ● Nov. 1, 2026

Ayman Al-Shammari, 28, was found guilty by a jury at Bristol Crown Court on Friday after a trial.

From BBC ● Oct. 31, 2026

Years of delays for the SkyLink people mover at LAX have led to finger-pointing, litigation and a grand jury probe into how a $1.9-billion project has become a $3.3-billion boondoggle.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2026

The jury in the midwestern state of Missouri on Thursday rejected claims that Roundup was defectively designed and should not have been sold.

From Barron's ● Oct. 30, 2026

Even though Mr. Powell warned us that people would have different feelings no matter what the verdict was, I’m still surprised anyone would think that jury made the right decision.

From "A Good Kind of Trouble" by Lisa Moore Ramée

Two of them were charged without the involvement of grand juries, a step required before a prosecution can move toward trial.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026

However, in July 2025, the Supreme Court decided that all the judges had erred, misdirecting juries that it was wrong as a matter of law.

From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026

These are questions that get resolved by juries every day.

From Slate ● Sep. 22, 2026

Her candid, straightforward approach has routinely won over judges and juries.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026

I’ve sat on juries, and it always amazes me the way these lawyers can talk, and talk and talk, even when the case is as obvious as this one.

From "Twelve Angry Men" by Reginald Rose

And yet, at the Toronto International Film Festival this month, this quiet film won the Platform Prize, a major juried award.

From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026

The company introduced a beta version of its digital registry in August at the Santa Fe Indian Market, an annual juried event.

From New York Times ● Nov. 21, 2022

If summer travel woes have dampened your passion for air travel, “Spirit of Flight,” the Museum of Flight’s juried photography exhibition, may rekindle your travel lust.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 6, 2022

“Hear Her” closes Feb. 26; “Young Contemporaries 2022,” an annual juried student exhibition, will follow starting March 18.

From Washington Post ● Feb. 11, 2022

Once the first two crates were completed, I carried them down to the art museum for consideration in their upcoming juried biennial.

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris

The totality resembles a juried exhibition that still needs some jurying.

From New York Times ● Jan. 29, 2015

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