judiciary

noun

ju·​di·​cia·​ry jü-ˈdi-shē-ˌer-ē  -ˈdi-shə-rē 

1

a

: a system of courts of law

b

: the judges of these courts

2

: a branch of government in which judicial power is vested

judiciary adjective

Examples of judiciary in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In 2000, King was honored by Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and other legal luminaries for a lifetime of achievement in the federal judiciary. —Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 3 May 2026

The Iranian judiciary's news outlet, Mizanonline, said Yaghoub Karimpour and Nasser Bekrzadeh were hanged after the Supreme Court upheld death sentences. —Sarah El Deeb, Arkansas Online, 3 May 2026

The Iranian judiciary's news outlet, Mizanonline, identified the men as Yaghoub Karimpour and Nasser Bekrzadeh. —ABC News, 2 May 2026

The Iranian judiciary’s news outlet, Mizanonline, identified the men as Yaghoub Karimpour and Nasser Bekrzadeh. —Sarah El Deeb, Chicago Tribune, 2 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

probably noun derivative of judiciary, adjective, "judicial," going back to Middle English judiciari, borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French judiciaire, borrowed from Latin jūdiciārius "of the law courts," from jūdicium "legal proceedings, court" + -ārius -ary entry 2 — more at judicial

First Known Use

1623, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for judiciary

• accessary
• adversary
• ancillary
• arbitrary
• aviary
• axillary
• beriberi
• breviary
• budgetary
• capillary
• catenary
• cautionary

Kids Definition

judiciary

noun

ju·​di·​cia·​ry ju̇-ˈdish-ē-ˌer-ē  -ˈdish-ə-rē 

1

a

: a system of courts of law

b

: the judges of these courts

2

: a branch of government in which judicial power is vested

judiciary adjective

Legal Definition

judiciary

noun

ju·​di·​cia·​ry ju̇-ˈdi-shē-ˌer-ē, -ˈdi-shə-rē 

plural judiciaries

1

a

: a system of courts of law

b

: the judges of these courts

2

: a branch of government in which judicial power is vested compare executive, legislature

judiciary adjective