writ

¹ American  

[rit] / rɪt /

noun

1. Law.

   1. a formal order under seal, issued in the name of a sovereign, government, court, or other competent authority, enjoining the officer or other person to whom it is issued or addressed to do or refrain from some specified act.

   2. (in early English law) any formal document in letter form, under seal, and in the sovereign's name.

2. something written; a writing.

   sacred writ.

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writ ² American  

[rit] / rɪt /

verb

Archaic.

1. a simple past tense and past participle of write.

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writ ¹ British  

/ rɪt /

noun

1. Official name: claim.  law (formerly) a document under seal, issued in the name of the Crown or a court, commanding the person to whom it is addressed to do or refrain from doing some specified act

2. archaic a piece or body of writing

   Holy Writ

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writ ² British  

/ rɪt /

verb

1. archaic a past tense and past participle of write

2. plain to see; very obvious

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Etymology

Origin of writ

before 900; Middle English, Old English; cognate with Old Norse rit writing, Gothic writs letter. See write

Explanation

If you are ever served with a writ, then you better do what it says. A writ is a written document issuing a legal order. The word writ has been around since before the twelfth century and was first used to describe a written document needed to have a case heard at the royal courts of England during the Middle Ages. Nowadays, the king is most likely no longer involved, but this word still refers to a legal document issued by a court of law. A writ contains a written order instructing someone to do something or to stop doing something. If you ever need to give out a writ, remember that the verb to serve is typically used to describe the issuing of a writ — as in “Tony was served with a writ on Monday.”

Example Sentences

Now imagine that kind of corrupted, perverted system of justice writ large.

From Los Angeles Times • May 24, 2026

“Tech writ large is now” 40% of global equity value, Nicholas Colas, co-founder of DataTrek Research, said in a note emailed Tuesday.

From MarketWatch • May 13, 2026

And there’s chemo, general Blitzkrieg bombing, destroy your body’s ability to produce cells at all, or a writ small version of chemo, which is targeted clinical therapies.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

By custom, the court agrees to consider a case if at least four justices vote to grant the writ of certiorari.

From Salon • Apr. 25, 2026

I showed Ma and Pa the paper Mrs. Holton had writ and they told me it was a great honour to do this, that I had to do the best job I could.

From "Elijah of Buxton" by Christopher Paul Curtis

Related Words

• summons