chief justice

noun

: the presiding or principal judge of a court of justice

Examples of chief justice in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

If the chief justice is in the minority, the most senior justice in the majority makes the opinion assignment. — The Conversation, 24 June 2026

Jonathan Dienst Jonathan Dienst is chief justice contributor for NBC News and chief investigative reporter for WNBC-TV in New York. — Tom Winter, NBC news, 10 June 2026

According to a proclamation by President Dwight Eisenhower, the flag should be flown at half-staff for 30 days after the death of a president or former president, and for 10 days following the death of a vice president, a chief justice, former chief justice or speaker of the House. — Darleene Powells, Boston Herald, 10 June 2026

The Cockroach Janta Party was started by a recent Boston University graduate after India’s chief justice compared young unemployed Indians to cockroaches. — J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 7 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1534, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for chief justice

• injustice

Kids Definition

chief justice

noun

: the presiding or principal judge of a court of justice

Legal Definition

chief justice

noun

: a chief judge of a usually higher level court

specifically, often capitalized : the chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court

chief justiceship noun