judiciary

noun

ju·​di·​cia·​ry jü-ˈdi-shē-ˌer-ē  -ˈdi-shə-rē 

1

a

: a system of courts of law

b

: the judges of these courts

2

: a branch of government in which judicial power is vested

judiciary adjective

Examples of judiciary in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Committees everybody wants to get on are appropriations, finance, judiciary and foreign relations. —Todd Feurer, CBS News, 6 Mar. 2026

The leadership council includes President Masoud Pezeshkian, judiciary chief Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejehi and cleric Ayatollah Ali Reza Arafi. —ABC News, 6 Mar. 2026

The judiciary, meanwhile, has taken itself largely out of the picture, limiting the legal avenues available for challenging the president’s use of force. —Quinta Jurecic, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2026

Advertisement As Supreme Leader, Khamenei virtually dictated all aspects of governance in the Islamic Republic, appointing the heads of the judiciary and controlling Iran’s military and the Revolutionary Guard Corps—the defenders of Iran’s Islamic system. —Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 5 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

probably noun derivative of judiciary, adjective, "judicial," going back to Middle English judiciari, borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French judiciaire, borrowed from Latin jūdiciārius "of the law courts," from jūdicium "legal proceedings, court" + -ārius -ary entry 2 — more at judicial

First Known Use

1623, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for judiciary

• accessary
• adversary
• ancillary
• arbitrary
• aviary
• axillary
• beriberi
• breviary
• budgetary
• capillary
• catenary
• cautionary

Kids Definition

judiciary

noun

ju·​di·​cia·​ry ju̇-ˈdish-ē-ˌer-ē  -ˈdish-ə-rē 

1

a

: a system of courts of law

b

: the judges of these courts

2

: a branch of government in which judicial power is vested

judiciary adjective

Legal Definition

judiciary

noun

ju·​di·​cia·​ry ju̇-ˈdi-shē-ˌer-ē, -ˈdi-shə-rē 

plural judiciaries

1

a

: a system of courts of law

b

: the judges of these courts

2

: a branch of government in which judicial power is vested compare executive, legislature

judiciary adjective