Etymologically
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judiciary

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 17 October 2026 at 16:19. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˌd͡ʒuːˈdɪʃəɹi/ (UK); /ˌd͡ʒuːˈdɪʃɪɛɹi/ (US)[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin iūdiciārius (“of a court of justice”), perhaps through French judiciaire,[2][3][4] from iūdicium (“judgment, court of justice”),[2][3] from iūdex (“a judge”) (see judge).[3] An earlier use borrowed directly from Latin, in a Wycliffite text of before 1415, did not survive.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Forming a judgement, discerning, especially in astrology: 1604 in Barnhart and the OED.[2][5] Relating to the courts or the administration of justice is from 1611.[2][5]

Semantic evolution

The noun, the body of judges or the judicial branch of government, is from 1788 in Etymonline;[3] judicature had been used in this sense from the 1590s.[3] Merriam-Webster dates a noun sense to 1623.[4]

Timeline

  • 1604 – discerning (astrology).[2][5]
  • 1611 – relating to the courts.[2][5]
  • 1788 – the body of judges.[3]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. The branch of government that administers justice; the courts.
  2. The judges of a country collectively.

Adjective

  1. Of or relating to courts of law or judges; judicial.

Word family

  • judiciarily
  • adjudication
  • judicator
  • judicatory
  • judicial
  • judge
  • judicious
  • judicature
  • prejudice

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
  3. ^ a b c d e f Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  5. ^ a b c d Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press