subpoena

American  

[suh-pee-nuh, suhb-] / səˈpi nə, səb- /

Or subpena

noun

1. the usual writ for the summoning of witnesses or the submission of evidence, as records or documents, before a court or other deliberative body.

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verb (used with object)

subpoenaed, subpoenaing

1. to serve with a subpoena.

subpoena British  

/ səbˈpiːnə, səˈpiːnə /

noun

1. a writ issued by a court of justice requiring a person to appear before the court at a specified time

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verb

1. (tr) to serve with a subpoena

subpoena Cultural  

1. An order of a court, a legislature, or a grand jury compelling a witness to be present at a trial or hearing, under penalty of fine or imprisonment. Subpoena is Latin for “under penalty.”

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Etymology

Origin of subpoena

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin sub poenā “under penalty” (the first words of the writ)

Explanation

A subpoena is a document that requires its recipient to appear in court as a witness. If you receive a subpoena, it doesn't mean you've done anything wrong; it just means you may have information that's needed by the court. Subpoena can also be a verb: You can subpoena someone by giving them a subpoena. If you receive a subpoena but fail to carry out its instructions, you're in big trouble. This fact is suggested by the Latin roots of this word: the prefix sub- means "under" and poena means "penalty." One nice thing about a subpoena is that it's not a summons; if you get one of those, it means you're being sued.

Example Sentences

It would also regain subpoena power, opening the door to corruption investigations, scrutiny of administration conduct and aggressive oversight.

From Barron's • Apr. 12, 2026

Nancy Mace, a Republican member of the committee, said the subpoena requires Bondi to appear and her no longer being attorney general does not "erase her obligation to testify and does not end Congressional oversight".

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

Every question asked, every draft generated, every strategic pivot is preserved in the platform’s logs and available on subpoena.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

“L.A. County voters overwhelmingly approved Measure R in March 2020 to grant the Commission subpoena powers,” the Civilian Oversight Commission wrote in a statement.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

That very day, Singleton wrote another subpoena, took it to Baird on Tuesday, May 8, and got it off to T-Mobile.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

Related Words

• decree
• mandate
• summons
• warrant