magistrate

American  

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

noun

magistrates plural

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

Derived Forms

• magistrateship
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• magistrates
  plural

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

See Examples For:

magistrate magistrates

The brothers, who are being held in federal detention, appeared before a magistrate in Miami on Monday, where a lawyer representing them said they would fight their extradition to the U.K.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026

Because an “individual has a legitimate expectation of privacy in his cellphone location data,” she said police investigators need a valid search warrant from a magistrate.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026

The chief magistrate, Judge Paul Goldspring, told the defendants to appear at Southwark Crown Court for a pre-trial hearing in June.

From BBC ● May 19, 2026

He was arrested in Turkey and sent to the U.S., where he appeared before a federal magistrate and will stand trial.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 17, 2026

“As city magistrate, I demand you hand over the children to the custody of the State of New York.”

From "Dactyl Hill Squad" by Daniel José Older

Freymond, who had been accused by a number of former clients of siphoning away their assets, was questioned by French investigating magistrates in July 2025.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026

All seven men spoke only to confirm their names when they appeared before magistrates in Norwich earlier.

From BBC ● May 22, 2026

Beccuau has assigned five investigating magistrates to comb through the documents released by the Justice Department and gather testimony from potential victims.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 17, 2026

Price's latest conviction and driving disqualification was dealt with in the Single Justice Procedure, a secretive court process where magistrates deal with less serious criminal cases behind closed doors.

From BBC ● Apr. 8, 2026

For these princes rule either by themselves or by means of public magistrates.

From "The Prince" by Niccolò Machiavelli