magistrate
noun
mag·is·trate
ˈma-jə-ˌstrāt 
-strət
: an official entrusted with administration of the laws: such as
a
: a principal official exercising governmental powers over a major political unit (such as a nation)
b
: a local official exercising administrative and often judicial functions
c
: a local judiciary official having limited original jurisdiction (see jurisdiction sense 1) especially in criminal cases
Synonyms
Examples of magistrate in a Sentence
chose to take their case before the local magistrate
Recent Examples on the Web
Homan, 63, decided on a career in law enforcement as a boy in West Carthage, New York, watching his father work as a magistrate in the small farming town.
—
Elliot Spagat, The Denver Post, 12 Nov. 2024
At the government’s request, a federal magistrate has detained him without bond until that hearing.
—Karina Tsui, CNN, 5 Nov. 2024
The race for chief justice features Jerry Lynch, a former federal magistrate, and Cory Swanson, an attorney with military experience.
—USA TODAY, 29 Oct. 2024
The scope of the removals was revealed for the first time this week after a federal magistrate ordered the state to disclose the figure as part of a federal lawsuit.
—Matthew Barakat, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for magistrate 
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Elliot Spagat, The Denver Post, 12 Nov. 2024
At the government’s request, a federal magistrate has detained him without bond until that hearing.
—Karina Tsui, CNN, 5 Nov. 2024
The race for chief justice features Jerry Lynch, a former federal magistrate, and Cory Swanson, an attorney with military experience.
—USA TODAY, 29 Oct. 2024
The scope of the removals was revealed for the first time this week after a federal magistrate ordered the state to disclose the figure as part of a federal lawsuit.
—Matthew Barakat, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for magistrate
Dictionary Entries Near magistrate
Cite this Entry
“Magistrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/magistrate. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
magistrate
noun
mag·is·trate
ˈmaj-ə-ˌstrāt
-strət
1
: a chief officer of government (as over a nation)
the president is the chief magistrate
2
: a local official with some judicial power
Legal Definition
magistrate
noun
mag·is·trate
ˈma-jə-ˌstrāt, -strət
1
: a civil or judicial official vested with limited judicial powers
a traffic magistrate
2
a
: a municipal, state, or federal judicial officer commonly authorized to issue warrants, hear minor cases, and conduct preliminary or pretrial hearings
called also magistrate judge
b
: an official (as a judge) authorized to perform the role or function of a magistrate
magistrate means an officer having power to issue a warrant for the arrest of a person charged with a public offense—Arizona Revised Statutes
Arizona Revised StatutesEtymology
Latin magistratus magistracy, magistrate, from magistr-, magister master, political superior
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