supreme court

noun

often capitalized S&C

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

These are just some of the hundreds of civilian opposition actors to face military courts in Uganda, even though the country’s supreme court has ruled it unconstitutional. —Elizabeth Shackelford, Twin Cities, 20 June 2025

The nonprofit says that the previous record for spending in a state supreme court race was in Wisconsin's 2023 state supreme court election, when $56 million was spent. —Oren Oppenheim, ABC News, 31 Mar. 2025

Catholic Charites argues the state supreme court decision violates religious freedoms protected by the First Amendment by making determinations about what work qualifies as religious. —Lindsay Whitehurst, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2025

The recent intervention by Elon Musk in Wisconsin’s state supreme court election indicated the voting public does not always respond well to billionaires using their money to sway races. —Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 26 June 2025

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.