puisne

American  

[pyoo-nee] / ˈpyu ni /

adjective

1. Law. younger; inferior in rank; junior, as in appointment.

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noun

1. an associate judge as distinguished from a chief justice.

puisne British  

/ ˈpjuːnɪ /

adjective

1. (esp of a subordinate judge) of lower rank

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Etymology

Origin of puisne

1590–1600; < Anglo-French, equivalent to Old French puis after (< Latin posteā ) + ne born, past participle of naistre to be born (< Latin nāscere ); cf. puny

Example Sentences

So he enlisted as butler in the family of a puisne judge.

From Time Magazine Archive

Each of these courts consists of a judge-president and two puisne judges.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 2 "Camorra" to "Cape Colony" by Various

The supreme court consists of a chief justice and two puisne judges, and has various jurisdictions.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 6 "Groups, Theory of" to "Gwyniad" by Various

Appointed attorney-general, 1837; puisne judge of the Court of Queen's Bench, 1840.

From The Makers of Canada: Index and Dictionary of Canadian History by Various

In 1827 appointed a puisne judge of the King's Bench in Upper Canada.

From The Makers of Canada: Index and Dictionary of Canadian History by Various