jurisdiction
Americannoun
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jurisdictions
plural
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the right, power, or authority to administer justice by hearing and determining controversies.
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power; authority; control.
He has jurisdiction over all American soldiers in the area.
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the extent or range of judicial, law enforcement, or other authority.
This case comes under the jurisdiction of the local police.
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the territory over which authority is exercised.
All islands to the northwest are his jurisdiction.
noun
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the right or power to administer justice and to apply laws
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the exercise or extent of such right or power
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power or authority in general
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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prejurisdictionnoun
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superjurisdictionnoun
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jurisdictionaladjective
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jurisdictiveadjective
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jurisdictionallyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of jurisdiction
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Latin jūris dictiōn-, stem of jūris dictiō, literally, “a saying of law,” from jūris, genitive of jūs “law, right” ( see jus 1 ( def. )) + dictiō “rhetorical delivery, a saying” ( see diction); replacing Middle English jurediccioun, from Old French juredicion, from Latin, as above
Explanation
Jurisdiction means having a legal right over something. A court can have jurisdiction over a legal question, and a government can have jurisdiction over another country or territory. Even your parents could be said to have jurisdiction over you while you're under 18. This noun jurisdiction descends from Latin jūrisdictiō, formed from jūris (from jūs "law") plus dictio, "the act of saying." Think of it as who has the right to "say" what "the law" is. In the U.S., certain crimes are tried in state courts, but when a crime involves more than one state, jurisdiction moves to the federal court system, just as the local police step down and the investigation is handled by the FBI.
Vocabulary lists containing jurisdiction
The Declaration of Independence
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You Be the Judge: Jud, Jur, Jus
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You Can Say That Again: Dic and Dict
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
He said he had asked the interior ministry to review the law regarding monitoring jurisdiction.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
We encouraged each one to accept ICC jurisdiction over war crimes on its own soil in order to open a pathway to justice for all victims, irrespective of the perpetrator.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
China is the first major jurisdiction to introduce specific rules targeting immersive AI tools that simulate romantic or familial bonds.
From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026
The opening words of the 14th Amendment of 1868 say: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof are citizens of the United States.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 12, 2026
An ordained scythe, however, who lives outside of the Thunderhead’s jurisdiction, has no such protection.
From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman
This matters because even when the U.S. government permits a transaction, banks usually still refuse to process it because of the compliance risks associated with jurisdictions considered high risk.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026
But more often, those fighting trafficking live in their own silos, doing their own work, and often failing or refusing to share even scant details with other jurisdictions.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
It would sting for companies banking on the completion of data centers in jurisdictions where pauses are in place.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
It is also essential that cities and jurisdictions understand that heat is not only a health issue but an infrastructure and economic issue as well, according to experts.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
Both city and county police had been crisscrossing their jurisdictions, looking for any sign of Wes and Tony.
From "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
