Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

superior court

American  

noun

  1. the court of general jurisdiction found in many states of the United States.

  2. any court that has general jurisdiction above other courts.


superior court British  

noun

  1. (in England) a higher court not subject to control by any other court except by way of appeal See also Supreme Court of Judicature

  2. (in several states) a court of general jurisdiction ranking above the inferior courts and below courts of last resort

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of superior court

An Americanism dating back to 1680–90

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:

Any interested party — a hospital, nursing home, social worker, adult protective services, friend or relative — can file a formal petition with the local probate or superior court.

From MarketWatch Aug. 5, 2026

Recall organizers secured the California attorney general’s approval to file a lawsuit for the politicians’ removal; their case is pending in state superior court.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 15, 2026

The hearing was put to Los Angeles County superior court Judge Michael Jesic on Tuesday who resentenced the brothers.

From BBC May 14, 2025

The complaint, filed in state superior court in L.A.

From Los Angeles Times Apr. 15, 2025

Several ran for public office, and there were two superior court justices, one municipal court judge, two members of the California state legislature, and one prominent state official.

From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Join 12,000,000 vocabulary learners

Start learning new words today on VocabTrainer.
You'll remember them forever.

Start training