: a degree conferred by a law school usually after three years of full-time study

Examples of Juris Doctor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Today, Forbes estimates Ogunlesi—who earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Oxford, a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School, and an MBA from Harvard Business School—has a net worth of $1.7 billion. Jabari Young, Forbes, 1 Sep. 2024 Anthony gained his Bachelor of Arts degree from Florida International University in 2002 and his Juris Doctor from St. Thomas University College of Law in 2005, having won multiple awards. Kyle J. Russell, USA TODAY, 16 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin, doctor of law

First Known Use

1904, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Juris Doctor was in 1904

Dictionary Entries Near Juris Doctor

Cite this Entry

“Juris Doctor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Juris%20Doctor. Accessed 6 Jan. 2025.

Legal Definition

juris doctor

noun
ju·​ris doc·​tor
ˈju̇r-əs-ˌdäk-tər
often capitalized J&D
: the lowest degree conferred by a law school usually after three years of full-time study or its equivalent compare master of laws, doctor of laws, doctor of the science of law

Note: The juris doctor replaced the bachelor of laws as the first degree conferred by a law school in 1969. Not all states mention the J.D. or LL.B. specifically as a requirement for admission to the bar, but all states do require graduation from a law school.

Etymology

New Latin, doctor of law

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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