supreme court

noun

often capitalized S&C

1

: the highest judicial tribunal in a political unit (such as a nation or state)

2

: a court of original jurisdiction in New York state subordinate to a final court of appeals

Examples of supreme court in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The targeting of state supreme courts by special interests and ultrawealthy individuals, some court observers say, can leave the public with the impression that justices are no different than any senator or representative or governor: devoted to serving their political allies. —Megan O’Matz, ProPublica, 6 Apr. 2025

Trump administration Wisconsin wisconsin supreme court Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media Inc. —Niall Stanage, The Hill, 5 Apr. 2025

Her victory preserves the court's 4-3 liberal majority, safeguarding control of one of the most politically consequential state supreme courts in the nation. —Jason D. Greenblatt, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Apr. 2025

Prosecutors say Bolsonaro participated and directed a plot to overturn his reelection loss and even planned to poison his successor and current president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and kill the vice president and a supreme court justice. —Carrie Kahn, NPR, 26 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1686, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for supreme court

• abort
• airport
• alport
• athwart
• carport
• comport
• consort
• deport
• distort
• escort
• exhort
• extort

Kids Definition

supreme court

noun

: the highest court in a political unit (as the U.S. or one of its states)

Legal Definition

supreme court

noun

su·​preme court

1

: the highest court in a nation or state

specifically, capitalized S&C : the highest court in the judicial branch of the U.S. government that has original jurisdiction over controversies involving ambassadors or other ministers or consuls but whose main activity is as the court of last resort exercising appellate jurisdiction over cases involving federal law

2

capitalized S&C : a court of original jurisdiction in New York

Note: The court of last resort in New York is the Court of Appeals.