justiciary

English

Etymology

From Late Latin justitiaria, justiciaria (“judgeship, judiciarship; court sessions”), justitiarius, and justiciarius (“justiciar, judge, justice [of the peace]; judiciary, related to justice”), all from Latin iūstitia (“justice”) + -āria (“-ary”). Paralleled in Middle English and Early Modern English by forms from Anglo-Norman justiserie (“judgeship, judiciarship”), from Anglo-Norman and Middle French justicerie (“judgeship; tribunal”), from justice + -ery. As a translation of various Continental European offices, via Middle French justicier, Spanish justiciero, etc.

Noun

justiciary (countable and uncountable, plural justiciaries)

1. (Scotland, countable, chiefly historical) A judgeship: a judge's jurisdiction, power, or office.

   Synonyms: judgeship, judicature, jurisdiction; see also Thesaurus:judgeship

2. (originally Scotland, uncountable) The judiciary: a collective term for the court system or the body of judges, justices etc.

   Synonyms: bench, judiciary; see also Thesaurus:judicature

3. (historical) One who administers justice, particularly:

   Synonyms: justicer, justiciar

   1. (historical) A judge or justice.

      Synonyms: justicer; see also Thesaurus:judge

   2. (historical) A magistrate.
   3. (historical) A Chief Justiciar: the highest political and judicial officer of the Kingdom of England in the 12th and 13th centuries.

      Synonyms: judiciar, justiciar

   4. (historical) A justiciar: a high-ranking judicial officer of medieval England or Scotland.

      Synonym: justiciar

   5. (historical) Various equivalent medieval offices elsewhere in Europe.

      Synonym: justiciar

4. (Christianity, theology) A believer in the doctrine (or heresy) that adherence to religious law redeems mankind before God.

   Synonyms: justiciar, legalist

   Antonyms: antinomian, solifidian

Derived terms

• Capital Justiciary
• Chief Justiciary
• Circuit Court of Justiciary
• Commissioner of Justiciary, Lord Commissioner of Justiciary
• Court of Justiciary, High Court of Justiciary
• High Court of Justiciary
• justiciaryship
• Lord of Justiciary

Translations

officer

• Latin: iūstitiārius m
• Polish: oprawca (pl) m pers, justycjariusz m pers

Adjective

justiciary (comparative more justiciary, superlative most justiciary)

1. (Christianity, theology, obsolete) Of or relating to justification or redemption before God.

   Synonym: see legalist

2. (Christianity, theology, obsolete) Of or relating to the doctrine (or heresy) that adherence to religious law redeems mankind before God.

   Synonym: see legalist

3. Judicial: of or relating to the administration of justice, judges, or judgeships.

   Synonyms: judicatory; see also Thesaurus:judicial

4. Of or relating to the High Court of Justiciary.
5. Of or relating to a circuit court held by one of the judges of the High Court of Justiciary.

References

• Oxford English Dictionary, 3rd ed. "judiciary, n.¹", "judiciary, n.²", "judiciary, adj.¹", & "judiciary, adj.²". Oxford University Press (Oxford), 2013.