judiciary
UK[dʒuːˈdɪʃəri]US[dʒuːˈdɪʃiˌeri]
n
The judicial authorities of a country; judges collectively.
n
The branch of government responsible for interpreting the law and administering justice.
Morpheme Breakdown
judic
iary
judic
judge
iary
relating to
Etymology
The word 'judiciary' is built upon the Latin root judex, meaning 'a judge', which itself is a compound of jus (law, right) and the root dic- (to say, to declare). Thus, a judge is literally one who 'declares the law'. The suffix -iary, also of Latin origin, transforms the noun into an adjective meaning 'related to judging'. In English, this adjective was nominalized to refer collectively to the system of courts and judges. The term encapsulates the core function of this branch of government: to authoritatively state and apply legal principles.
Analysis
Structure: judic (judge) + iary (relating to)
judic (from Latin judex, judic- meaning 'judge'); iary (from Latin -iarius, an adjectival suffix meaning 'pertaining to' or 'connected with').
Examples
An independent judiciary is a cornerstone of a democratic society.
The reform aims to increase diversity within the judiciary.
The case raised important questions about the role of the judiciary.