magistrat

magistrate

noun mah-zhees-TRAH Rare

Origin: Latin magistratus, from magister (master)

Usage Note

Magistrat in France covers a wide range of judicial officers: judges (juges) and prosecutors (procureurs) are all magistrats within the corps de la magistrature. The feminine magistrate has become accepted but magistrat is still used for women in many official contexts. Le parquet designates the prosecuting branch of the magistrature.

Examples

"Le magistrat a prononcé la sentence."

Natural Translation

The magistrate pronounced the sentence.

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