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

TikTok challenged the law on First Amendment grounds, and after losing an appellate court ruling is seeking an emergency injunction from the Supreme Court to block the law from taking effect. —Todd Spangler, Variety, 27 Dec. 2024

In part that’s because the CFPB was hamstrung by an unfavorable appellate court ruling in a case brought by the payday lending industry that challenged the agency’s constitutionality. —Joel Jacobs, ProPublica, 23 Dec. 2024

Biden loses on appellate court judges Biden’s record in reshaping lower courts is similarly mixed. —Kaelan Deese, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 22 Dec. 2024

The appellate court's decision will apply to all of them, according to Don Samuel, who represents another case defendant, lawyer Ray Smith. —Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 20 Dec. 2024

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

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