tribunal

noun

tri·​bu·​nal trī-ˈbyü-nᵊl 

tri-

1

: a court or forum of justice

2

: something that decides or determines

the tribunal of public opinion

3

: tribune entry 2

Synonyms of tribunal

• court
• bench
• judiciary

Examples of tribunal in a Sentence

An international tribunal was formed to deal with war crimes.

was tried before a military tribunal and found not guilty of the charges

Recent Examples on the Web

The deliberation of the verdict from the tribunal in the capital, Dhaka, was broadcast live on Monday. —CBS News, 17 Nov. 2025

What To Know A special tribunal court in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka sentenced Hasina to death on charges of crimes against humanity linked to killings during last year’s mass uprising that ended her 15-year rule. —Robert Birsel, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Nov. 2025

Police and paramilitary forces were deployed around government buildings and the tribunal complex, and there was tight security across the capital and other major cities. —Ruma Paul, USA Today, 17 Nov. 2025

In 2016, an international tribunal at the Hague found that the US, United Kingdom, and Australia were all complicit in the mass killings of 1965, which were deemed crimes against humanity. —Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 11 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin, platform for magistrates, from tribunus tribune

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Rhymes for tribunal

• communal
• jejunal
• lagoonal
• monsoonal
• intercommunal

Kids Definition

tribunal

noun

tri·​bu·​nal trī-ˈbyün-ᵊl 

trib-ˈyün-

1

: the seat of a judge

2

: a court of justice

3

: something that decides or determines

the tribunal of public opinion

Legal Definition

tribunal

noun

tri·​bu·​nal trī-ˈbyün-ᵊl, tri- 

1

: the seat of a judge or one acting as a judge

2

: a court or forum of justice : a person or body of persons having to hear and decide disputes so as to bind the parties

Etymology

Latin, platform for magistrates, from tribunus tribune, from tribus tribe