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The Origin of Subpoena
If you think you recognize the sub- in subpoena as the prefix meaning "under, beneath, below," you're on target. Subpoena arrived in Modern English (via the Middle English suppena) from the Latin sub poena, a combination of sub and poena, meaning "penalty." Other poena descendants in English include impunity ("freedom from penalty"), penal ("of or relating to punishment"), and even punish. There is also the verb subpoena, as in "Defense lawyers have subpoenaed several witnesses to the crime."
Synonyms
Examples of subpoena in a Sentence
Stacey Barchenger, The Arizona Republic, 5 Apr. 2024
Two days later, the subpoena was officially delivered to Trump’s residence.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2024
He and Wheaton were gratified to read the subpoena the department filed with the county asking about dealings with the Upper Valley Waste Management Agency.
—Jessica Garrison, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2024
Allman, 47, recently filed a motion on March 7, which was obtained by PEOPLE, that requests the subpoena the pop icon, 77, filed in February to gain access to his medical records at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles be rejected, or that the records be placed under a protective order.
—Sadie Bell, Peoplemag, 19 Mar. 2024
Yesterday, the Supreme Court also rejected a bid by former Trump adviser Peter Navarro to avoid reporting to prison (which he’s expected to do today) to serve a four-month sentence for defying a congressional subpoena.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 19 Mar. 2024
Another option is asking a court to enforce a congressional subpoena, a step known as civil contempt.
—Matt Egan, CNN, 5 Mar. 2024
James could also opt to take further steps by issuing a subpoena for Trump's financial information including tax returns, according to judgment enforcement attorney Peter Agulnick.
—Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 25 Mar. 2024
What to expect The hearing will start off focused mostly on procedural matters—a discussion of subpoena issues and scheduling for further hearing dates, according to the National Labor Relations Board.
—Jessica Mathews, Fortune, 5 Mar. 2024
Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 8 Apr. 2024
The Bar subpoenaed Moon’s trust account and other financial records in August 2022.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 7 Apr. 2024
Starbird was interviewed voluntarily at the committee’s request; she was not subpoenaed and deposed.
—Brandy Zadrozny, NBC News, 23 Mar. 2024
Meanwhile, prosecutors in Arizona have issued several grand jury subpoenas in recent weeks to people connected to efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn the 2020 election in that state.
—Aj Willingham, CNN, 7 Mar. 2024
News Peg James Biden was subpoenaed by the House Oversight Committee, alongside his nephew and the president’s son Hunter Biden, in November to testify in its impeachment inquiry against the president.
—Cailey Gleeson, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024
Months later, Trump’s lawyers subpoenaed the federal prosecutor’s office and got a much broader set of records, which Trump’s side now insists are important to the case.
—Devlin Barrett, Washington Post, 25 Mar. 2024
In April 1974, special prosecutor Leon Jaworski subpoenaed Nixon’s White House tapes.
—Noah Feldman, The Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2024
In an effort to prove her case, Chen subpoenaed Herridge and Fox News, with the hope of unmasking the reporting’s sources.
—Oliver Darcy, CNN, 29 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'subpoena.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
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Cite this Entry
“Subpoena.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subpoena. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
subpoena
1 of 2 noun
subpoena
2 of 2 verbNoun
from the Latin phrase sub poena "under penalty"; used as the beginning words of the order
Legal Definition
subpoena
1 of 2 nounsubpoena
2 of 2 transitive verbHarvard Law ReviewNoun
Latin sub poena under penalty
More from Merriam-Webster on subpoena
Nglish: Translation of subpoena for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of subpoena for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about subpoena
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