subpoena

American  

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

Or subpena

noun

subpoenas plural

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)

subpoenas, present (3rd person singular) subpoenaed, past participle, past subpoenaing present participle

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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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• subpoenas
  plural

Participles

• subpoenaing
  present
• subpoenaed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• subpoena
  simple
• subpoenas
  simple
• have subpoenaed
  perfect
• has subpoenaed
  perfect
• am subpoenaing
  progressive
• are subpoenaing
  progressive
• is subpoenaing
  progressive
• have been subpoenaing
  perfect progressive
• has been subpoenaing
  perfect progressive

Past

• subpoenaed
  simple
• had subpoenaed
  perfect
• was subpoenaing
  progressive
• were subpoenaing
  progressive
• had been subpoenaing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will subpoena
  simple
• will have subpoenaed
  perfect
• will be subpoenaing
  progressive
• will have been subpoenaing
  perfect progressive

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

She scheduled a July 8 date to hear additional evidence before she decides on whether to grant a preliminary injunction, blocking the subpoena through the end of the litigation.

From Salon • Jun. 25, 2026

The subpoena requests documents and sworn testimony covering pharmacy contracts, reimbursement rates, “differential treatment of own versus independent stores,” and the company’s expansion plans, according to a press release.

From Barron's • Jun. 23, 2026

The company was served with a subpoena seekingr documents covering a wide range of its activities and impact on users.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 13, 2026

California families learned the Justice Department was pursuing their medical records only after NYU Langone Health disclosed it had received a criminal subpoena May 7 in Fort Worth, Texas.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026

And, besides, the legal standard for getting the court to allow the subpoena wasn’t particularly high.

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