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

The judges were Lord Widdrington, the Lord Chief-Justice of the King's Bench, and Mr. Justice Grayley, a puisne judge of the same court—both admirable lawyers.

From Ten Thousand a-Year. Volume 1. by Warren, Samuel

Then the Lord High Steward asked this question of every one of the lords there present, beginning with the puisne baron, which was the lord Bernard.

From State Trials Vol. 2 (of 2) Political and Social by Various

Consists of a chief-justice and five puisne judges, who, also constituted the Exchequer Court until 1887, when the latter was separated.

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

The supreme court consists of a chief justice and three puisne judges.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 2 "Gloss" to "Gordon, Charles George" by Various