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

What she’s targeting is the lawless underlying subpoena, saying it was unenforceable to begin with.

From Slate • May 18, 2026

You think you can order a Rhode Island hospital to comply with a subpoena from your court in Texas?

From Slate • May 18, 2026

Shew said Estelle reached out shortly after he received the CBP’s subpoena.

From Salon • May 14, 2026

The case may no longer be active, but Pirro has reserved the right to reopen it and is now seeking to remove the ruling that limited her last attempt to subpoena the central bank.

From Barron's • May 4, 2026

On May 23, he spoke to T-Mobile and was told he needed to fax the subpoena to a legal compliance agent in T-Mobile’s Law Enforcement Relations Group.

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