subpoena

1 of 2

noun

sub·​poe·​na sə-ˈpē-nə 

nonstandard

-nē 

: a writ commanding a person designated in it to appear in court under a penalty for failure

subpoena

2 of 2

verb

subpoenaed; subpoenaing

transitive verb

: to serve or summon with a writ of subpoena

Did you know?

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 of subpoena

Noun

• summons

Examples of subpoena in a Sentence

Noun

received a subpoena to appear as a witness for the prosecution

Verb

He was subpoenaed to testify in a hearing.

The prosecutor subpoenaed the defendant's financial records.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The investigation was voluntary, so the firm did not have subpoena power, according to the report. —Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2026

If Republicans maintain control of the House, our first priority should be accountability and oversight of this administration through whatever means necessary — leveraging the appropriations process, wielding subpoena power, working with outside partners to file lawsuits and more. —Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026

Verb

Garcia has also accused the committee’s GOP leadership of holding roundtables rather than formal hearings to cut off members’ ability to make motions to subpoena additional witnesses. —Rebecca Beitsch, The Hill, 4 May 2026

Greer says a detective subpoenaed Rickman's phone records. —Paul Larosa, CBS News, 3 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English suppena, from Latin sub poena under penalty

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1640, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing subpoena

• subpoena ad testificandum
• subpoena duces tecum

Rhymes for subpoena

• arena
• athena
• cantina
• carina
• carmina
• catena
• czarina
• domina
• equina
• farina
• galena
• glossina

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Kids Definition

subpoena

1 of 2 noun

sub·​poe·​na sə-ˈpē-nə 

: an order in writing commanding a person named in it to appear in court under a penalty for failure to appear

subpoena

2 of 2 verb

subpoenaed; subpoenaing

: to serve or summon with a subpoena

Etymology

Noun

from the Latin phrase sub poena "under penalty"; used as the beginning words of the order

Legal Definition

subpoena

1 of 2 noun

sub·​poe·​na

variants also subpena

sə-ˈpē-nə

: a writ commanding a designated person upon whom it has been served to appear (as in court or before a congressional committee) under a penalty (as a charge of contempt) for failure to comply compare summons

subpoena

2 of 2 transitive verb

variants also subpena

subpoenaed; subpoenaing

: to call before a court or hearing by a subpoena

the inspector is given the power to subpoena any relevant…witnesses

—Harvard Law Review

also : to command the production of (evidence) by a subpoena duces tecum

subpoenaed documents

Etymology

Noun

Latin sub poena under penalty