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 entirety of that donation, like those before it, will go toward keeping ESA recipients in the school of their choosing, ensuring they are not harmed by the state supreme court’s decision last fall. —Patrick Gleason, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025

On January 8, a huge mob of Bolsonaro supporters stormed the three branches of government: the presidential palace, the congress, and the supreme court. —Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 27 Feb. 2025

The Wisconsin supreme court ruled that Act 10 was constitutional in 2014. —The Editors, National Review, 25 Feb. 2025

In Texas, the state supreme court recently heard arguments in a similar case. —Sarah Matusek, The Christian Science Monitor, 30 Jan. 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.