chief justice

noun

: the presiding or principal judge of a court of justice

Examples of chief justice in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court urged the state legislature to raise salaries for judges across the state on Monday. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 30 Jan. 2025 The state Supreme Court’s chief justice was a woman. Jennifer Berry Hawes, ProPublica, 22 Jan. 2025 The next trial session is scheduled for Thursday and if Yoon also does not attend, the trial proceedings will go ahead with his legal team representing him, acting chief justice Moon Hyung-bae said. Reuters, NBC News, 14 Jan. 2025 Around noon, the chief justice of the United States will administer the oath of office in a public ceremony at the U.S. Capitol. Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY, 1 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for chief justice 

Word History

First Known Use

1534, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of chief justice was in 1534

Dictionary Entries Near chief justice

Cite this Entry

“Chief justice.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chief%20justice. Accessed 10 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

chief justice

noun
: the presiding or principal judge of a court of justice

Legal Definition

chief justice

noun
: a chief judge of a usually higher level court
specifically, often capitalized : the chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court
chief justiceship noun

More from Merriam-Webster on chief justice

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