judicial

adjective

ju·​di·​cial jü-ˈdi-shəl 

1

a

: of or relating to a judgment, the function of judging, the administration of justice, or the judiciary

judicial processes

judicial powers

b

: belonging to the branch of government that is charged with trying all cases that involve the government and with the administration of justice within its jurisdiction compare executive, legislative

2

: ordered or enforced by a court

a judicial sale

3

: belonging or appropriate to a judge or the judiciary

judicial robes

judicial dignity

4

: of, characterized by, or expressing judgment : critical sense 2d

5

: arising from a judgment of God

judicially

jü-ˈdi-sh(ə-)lē 

adverb

Examples of judicial in a Sentence

the judicial branch of government

Recent Examples on the Web

Immigration courts are not part of the judicial branch. —Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 23 Dec. 2025

The official said the vessel was flying a false flag and under a judicial seizure order. —Aamer Madhani, Fortune, 21 Dec. 2025

Democrats insisted the administration was trying to make an example of Dugan to blunt judicial opposition to the operation. —Todd Richmond, Arkansas Online, 20 Dec. 2025

These cases have been characterized by their judicial victories, with each of the three students freed from detention by judges, but their cases are still ongoing. —Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 19 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French judicial, judiciel, borrowed from Latin jūdiciālis, from jūdicium "legal proceedings, court, verdict, judgment" (from jūdic-, jūdex judge entry 1 + -ium, suffix of function or state) + -ālis -al entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing judicial

• judicial review
• quasi-judicial

Rhymes for judicial

• initial
• official
• simplicial
• surficial
• artificial
• beneficial
• cicatricial
• interstitial
• nonjudicial
• nonofficial
• prejudicial
• sacrificial

Kids Definition

judicial

adjective

ju·​di·​cial ju̇-ˈdish-əl 

1

: of or relating to courts or judges

2

: ordered or enforced by a court

a judicial decision

judicially

-(ə-)lē 

adverb

Legal Definition

judicial

adjective

ju·​di·​cial jü-ˈdi-shəl 

1

a

: of or relating to a judgment, the function of judging, the administration of justice, or the judiciary

b

: of, relating to, or being the branch of government that is charged with trying all cases that involve the government and with the administration of justice within its jurisdiction compare administrative sense 2, executive sense 1, legislative

2

: created, ordered, or enforced by a court

a judicial foreclosure

compare conventional sense 1, legal sense 2c

judicially adverb

Etymology

Latin judicialis, from judicium judgment, from judic-, judex judge, from jus right, law + dicere to determine, say