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
Wiretapped conversations on those phones led prosecutors to suspect Sarkozy and Herzog of promising magistrate Gilbert Azibert a job in Monaco in exchange for leaking information about another legal case involving Sarkozy.
—
Sylvie Corbet, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2024
Both properties were the subject of an eviction ruling on Nov. 6 in Hamilton County where a magistrate gave Frisch’s seven days to leave.
—Alexander Coolidge, The Enquirer, 10 Dec. 2024
The magistrates accepted all of these arguments and gave me the lowest possible outcome (a discharge) available.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 30 Nov. 2024
He’s expected to plead not guilty when he’s arraigned Monday before a federal magistrate judge, a formality because magistrate judges can’t accept guilty pleas in felony cases in Minnesota.
—Steve Karnowski, Twin Cities, 3 Jan. 2025
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Sylvie Corbet, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2024
Both properties were the subject of an eviction ruling on Nov. 6 in Hamilton County where a magistrate gave Frisch’s seven days to leave.
—Alexander Coolidge, The Enquirer, 10 Dec. 2024
The magistrates accepted all of these arguments and gave me the lowest possible outcome (a discharge) available.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 30 Nov. 2024
He’s expected to plead not guilty when he’s arraigned Monday before a federal magistrate judge, a formality because magistrate judges can’t accept guilty pleas in felony cases in Minnesota.
—Steve Karnowski, Twin Cities, 3 Jan. 2025
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 26 Jan. 2025.
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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