tribunal

noun

tri·​bu·​nal trī-ˈbyü-nᵊl How to pronounce tribunal (audio)
tri-
1
: a court or forum of justice
2
: something that decides or determines
the tribunal of public opinion
3

Examples of tribunal in a Sentence

An international tribunal was formed to deal with war crimes. was tried before a military tribunal and found not guilty of the charges
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In a tribunal hearing in December 2024 that upheld an earlier decision to bar Yang from the UK, it was revealed that Yang was authorized to act on Prince Andrew’s behalf during business meetings with potential Chinese investors in the UK. Max Foster, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2025 The party thus plays out as a high-stakes tribunal on which George’s career and Hedda’s comfort depend. Richard Brody, New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2025 Free Press auto critic Mark Phelan attended the news conference tribunal where Pearce debunked the network's scheme. Jackie Charniga, Freep.com, 17 Oct. 2025 And with foreign powers long divided over the war in Syria and the uprising against its former dictator, there is little hope for an international tribunal either. Danny Makki, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tribunal

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin, platform for magistrates, from tribunus tribune

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of tribunal was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tribunal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tribunal. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

tribunal

noun
tri·​bu·​nal trī-ˈbyün-ᵊl How to pronounce tribunal (audio)
trib-ˈyün-
1
: the seat of a judge
2
: a court of justice
3
: something that decides or determines
the tribunal of public opinion

Legal Definition

tribunal

noun
tri·​bu·​nal trī-ˈbyün-ᵊl, tri- How to pronounce tribunal (audio)
1
: the seat of a judge or one acting as a judge
2
: a court or forum of justice : a person or body of persons having to hear and decide disputes so as to bind the parties
Etymology

Latin, platform for magistrates, from tribunus tribune, from tribus tribe

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