[suh-pee-nuh, suh
b-] 
noun, verb, -naed, -na⋅ing. Law.| 1. | the usual writ for the summoning of witnesses or the submission of evidence, as records or documents, before a court or other deliberative body. |
| 2. | to serve with a subpoena. |
| sub·poe·na (sə-pē'nə) n. A writ requiring appearance in court to give testimony. tr.v. sub·poe·naed, sub·poe·na·ing, sub·poe·nas To serve or summon with such a writ. [Middle English suppena, from Medieval Latin sub poenā, under a penalty (from the opening words of the writ) : Latin sub, under; see sub- + Latin poenā, ablative of poena, penalty; see kwei-1 in Indo-European roots.] |
An order of a court, a legislature, or a grand jury compelling a witness to be present at a trial or hearing, under penalty of fine or imprisonment. Subpoena is Latin for “under penalty.”