judge
/dʒʌdʒ/
noun/verb
Origin
Latin
iūdex — judge, juror
Overview
Meaning Now
- A public official appointed to decide cases in a court of law.
- A person who decides the results of a competition or contest.
- To form an opinion or conclusion about something or someone.
Literal older meaning
one who declares/pronounces the law
Language path
Latin → Old French → Middle English → English
Earliest form
jugier
Earliest period
12th century
Journey
The word reached English via the Anglo-Norman court system, replacing the native Old English word 'dēma' (source of 'deem'). The shift reflects the influence of French-speaking legal administrators in medieval England.
Evolution
- Latin
iūdex
“a judge”
Compound of iūs (law) and dīcere (to speak).
- Vulgar Latin
*iūdicāre
“to judge”
- Old French
jugier
“to judge, decide”
- Middle English
jugge
“a judge”
Introduced following the Norman Conquest.
Connections
Word parts
iūs
root
law
dīcere
root
to say
Related across languages
French
juge
judge
Italian
giudice
judge
Spanish
juez
judge
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Related to judge
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.