magistrate

American  

[maj-uh-streyt, -strit] / ˈmædʒ əˌstreɪt, -strɪt /

noun

1. a civil officer charged with the administration of the law.

2. a minor judicial officer, as a justice of the peace or the judge of a police court, having jurisdiction to try minor criminal cases and to conduct preliminary examinations of persons charged with serious crimes.

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magistrate British  

/ ˈmædʒɪˌstreɪt, -strɪt /

noun

1. a public officer concerned with the administration of law

2. another name for justice of the peace

3. the former name for district court judge

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Other Word Forms

• magistrateship
  noun

Etymology

Origin of magistrate

1350–1400; Middle English magistrat < Latin magistrātus magistracy, magistrate, equivalent to magist ( e ) r master + -ātus -ate ³

Explanation

A magistrate is a person who lays down the law — a judge or other civil authority who conducts a court. Minor offenses are often brought before a magistrate. Magistrate goes back to the Latin magistratus, meaning "administrator." Lawmakers and judges might have a role in making and changing laws; magistrates focus on carrying out the laws on a case-by-case basis. A magistrate doesn't usually make final rulings on murders or high-level cases. He or she might hear cases about things like property damage or traffic violations.

Example Sentences

In court documents tied to a different case, in October 2025, a magistrate judge mentioned “an unrelated white-collar investigation involving the Governor of Puerto Rico.”

From Salon • May 6, 2026

The Pasadena-based clinic is accused of fraud, according to a seizure warrant affidavit that federal prosecutors filed Monday and that a federal magistrate in Los Angeles approved.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 28, 2026

A welcome exception came last Thursday when federal magistrate judge Rukhsanah Singh disqualified Beasley Allen from representing plaintiffs in the multidistrict litigation against Johnson & Johnson claiming injuries from talcum powder.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

"A medical board will examine you, and a district magistrate will decide who you are. It's invasive -- and strikes at dignity and autonomy."

From Barron's • Mar. 24, 2026

The magistrate went under and surfaced seconds later, gasping and sputtering.

From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack