judicial

American  

[joo-dish-uhl] / dʒuˈdɪʃ əl /

adjective

1. pertaining to judgment in courts of justice or to the administration of justice.

   judicial proceedings; the judicial system.

   Synonyms:

   juridical

2. pertaining to courts of law or to judges; judiciary.

   judicial functions.

   Synonyms:

   forensic, juridical

3. of or relating to a judge; proper to the character of a judge; judgelike.

   judicial gravity.

4. inclined to make or give judgments; critical; discriminating.

   a judicial mind.

5. decreed, sanctioned, or enforced by a court.

   a judicial decision.

6. giving or seeking judgment, as in a dispute or contest; determinative.

   a judicial duel over lands.

7. inflicted by God as a judgment or punishment.

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judicial British  

/ dʒuːˈdɪʃəl /

adjective

1. of or relating to the administration of justice

2. of or relating to judgment in a court of law or to a judge exercising this function

3. inclined to pass judgment; discriminating

4. allowed or enforced by a court of law

   a decree of judicial separation

5. having qualities appropriate to a judge

6. giving or seeking judgment, esp determining or seeking determination of a contested issue

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Usage

What does judicial mean? Judicial describes something related to courts of law or judges. For example, a judicial review refers to a court reviewing the action of an administrative, legislative, or executive branch of government. Broadly, judicial can refer to any part of the legal process, but it often relates directly to a judge and their practices. Judges make judicial decisions, and any court process that involves the judge making a decision is referred to as judicial. Judicial can also be used to describe something or someone as critical or discriminating or inclined to making judgments. If you look carefully at both sides of an argument before making a serious decision, you could be described as being judicial in your decision-making. Example: The judicial branch of government evaluates and upholds the law.

Related Words

See judicious.

Other Word Forms

• judicially adverb
• judicialness noun
• nonjudicial adjective
• nonjudicially adverb
• semijudicial adjective
• semijudicially adverb
• subjudicial adjective
• subjudicially adverb
• superjudicial adjective
• superjudicially adverb
• unjudicial adjective
• unjudicially adverb

Etymology

Origin of judicial

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin jūdiciālis of the law courts, equivalent to jūdici ( um ) judgment ( judge, -ium ) + -ālis -al ¹

Explanation

If your situation has anything to do with the administration of justice or involves a judge, then it's officially judicial. And you should probably get a lawyer. Judicial comes to us all the way from the Latin word judex, which means — you guessed it — "judge." But while judicial is most often used when describing legal proceedings, it can also be used to describe anyone who has to judge something in a fair way. Film critics are expected to give judicial reviews, just as the judges of a pie baking contest must be judicial in their assessment of each scrumptious dessert.

Example Sentences

The Eastern District of California said the time it spent reviewing her alleged misconduct was a “waste of limited time and judicial resources in a district that has labored under a longstanding caseload crisis.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

Much of that money has been routed through a nonprofit judicial advocacy group Leo founded — now called The 85 Fund — which both receives and disseminates Leo’s funding.

From Salon • Apr. 10, 2026

"They are carefully planned and time-limited exercises designed to make best use of already-funded and available courtrooms, judicial capacity and sitting days," it added.

From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026

The 52-page document is written as if it were a binding judicial opinion, which it is not.

From Slate • Apr. 9, 2026

In the same sense that our judicial system presumes us to be innocent until proved guilty, a medical-care system may work best if it starts with the presumption that most people are healthy.

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas