appellate

adjective

ap·​pel·​late ə-ˈpe-lət 

: of, relating to, or recognizing appeals

specifically : having the power to review the judgment of another tribunal

an appellate court

Examples of appellate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The cases in Texas are also notable because federal courts there are reviewed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, the most aggressively conservative appellate court, which has issued a number of rulings supporting hard-line immigration policies. —Mattathias Schwartz, New York Times, 2 May 2025

In France, for instance, over 50% of appellate court judges are women; the majority of doctors are women; and nearly half of cabinet ministers are female. —Hec Paris Insights, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025

Trump's legal team is likely to challenge the injunction in appellate court. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025

The trial judge denied that motion, but one year later, the defense went to the appellate court — this time arguing there were numerous errors at trial. —Maureen Maher, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Medieval Latin appellātus, past participle of appellāre "to appeal against a judgment," going back to Latin, "to speak to, address, apply to for support, refer to a higher authority" — more at appeal entry 2

First Known Use

1765, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for appellate

• chelate
• pellet
• prelate
• zealot

Kids Definition

appellate

adjective

ap·​pel·​late ə-ˈpel-ət 

: having the power to review the decisions of a lower court

an appellate court

Legal Definition

appellate

adjective

ap·​pel·​late ə-ˈpe-lət 

: of or relating to appeals or the power to hear appeals

the appellate process

an appellate court