supreme court

noun

variants often Supreme Court

1

: the highest judicial tribunal in a political unit (such as a nation or state)

2

: a court of original jurisdiction in New York state subordinate to a final court of appeals

Examples of supreme court in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

No one should be surprised that the supreme court now insists Louisiana – and any state – has no compelling interest to account for race when drawing maps. —ABC News, 6 May 2026

The state supreme court's decision, however, did not hinge on SB21. —Garrett Downs, CNBC, 1 May 2026

Justices for the state supreme court are also chosen in this way. —Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 30 Apr. 2026

The state supreme court heard Fravel’s appeal back in January, where his attorney Greg Scanlan argued the evidence against Fravel was insufficient for a first-degree murder conviction. —Sydney Mook, Twin Cities, 30 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1686, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for supreme court

• abort
• airport
• alport
• athwart
• carport
• comport
• consort
• deport
• distort
• escort
• exhort
• extort

Kids Definition

supreme court

noun

: the highest court in a political unit (as the U.S. or one of its states)

Legal Definition

supreme court

noun

su·​preme court

1

: the highest court in a nation or state

specifically, capitalized S&C : the highest court in the judicial branch of the U.S. government that has original jurisdiction over controversies involving ambassadors or other ministers or consuls but whose main activity is as the court of last resort exercising appellate jurisdiction over cases involving federal law

2

capitalized S&C : a court of original jurisdiction in New York

Note: The court of last resort in New York is the Court of Appeals.