appellate

adjective

ap·​pel·​late ə-ˈpe-lət 

: of, relating to, or recognizing appeals

specifically : having the power to review the judgment of another tribunal

an appellate court

Examples of appellate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The appellate court’s ruling does not take effect until Oct. 14, however, allowing the Trump administration time to appeal to the Supreme Court. —Ty Roush, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025

That prompted the city to ask for a rehearing en banc, meaning before the entire appellate court rather than a three-judge panel. —Miami Herald, 30 Aug. 2025

The school districts point to a 2020 ruling in Grimm v. Gloucester County School Board by the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, which is the federal appellate court for the Eastern District of Virginia. —Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 29 Aug. 2025

The appellate court’s ruling found that such contempt proceedings could not go forward on various technical grounds. —Ray Brescia, The Conversation, 27 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Medieval Latin appellātus, past participle of appellāre "to appeal against a judgment," going back to Latin, "to speak to, address, apply to for support, refer to a higher authority" — more at appeal entry 2

First Known Use

1765, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for appellate

• chelate
• pellet
• prelate
• zealot

Kids Definition

appellate

adjective

ap·​pel·​late ə-ˈpel-ət 

: having the power to review the decisions of a lower court

an appellate court

Legal Definition

appellate

adjective

ap·​pel·​late ə-ˈpe-lət 

: of or relating to appeals or the power to hear appeals

the appellate process

an appellate court