puisne

American  

[pyoo-nee] / ˈpyu ni /

adjective

1. Law. younger; inferior in rank; junior, as in appointment.

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noun

1. an associate judge as distinguished from a chief justice.

puisne British  

/ ˈpjuːnɪ /

adjective

1. (esp of a subordinate judge) of lower rank

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Etymology

Origin of puisne

1590–1600; < Anglo-French, equivalent to Old French puis after (< Latin posteā ) + ne born, past participle of naistre to be born (< Latin nāscere ); puny

Example Sentences

So he enlisted as butler in the family of a puisne judge.

From Time Magazine Archive

Appointed attorney-general, 1837; puisne judge of the Court of Queen's Bench, 1840.

From The Makers of Canada: Index and Dictionary of Canadian History by Various

Appointed puisne judge of Supreme Court of Quebec, 1878; and the same year became professor of civil law in Laval University; later dean of the faculty.

From The Makers of Canada: Index and Dictionary of Canadian History by Various

Appointed to a puisne judgeship in Upper Canada, 1811; chief-justice, 1825; retired, 1829; knighted, 1829.

From The Makers of Canada: Index and Dictionary of Canadian History by Various

The supreme court consists of a chief justice and two puisne judges, and has various jurisdictions.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 6 "Groups, Theory of" to "Gwyniad" by Various