certiorari

[ sur-shee-uh-rair-ahy, -rair-ee ]

nounLaw.
  1. a writ issuing from a superior court calling up the record of a proceeding in an inferior court for review.

Origin of certiorari

1
First recorded in 1515–25; from Latin: “to be informed, certified,” literally, “made surer,” passive infinitive of certiōrāre “to inform,” verbal derivative of certior, comparative of certus “sure”; so called because the passive infinitive form occurred in the Latin original; see certain

Words Nearby certiorari

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How to use certiorari in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for certiorari

certiorari

/ (ˌsɜːtɪɔːˈrɛəraɪ) /


noun
  1. law an order of a superior court directing that a record of proceedings in a lower court be sent up for review: See also mandamus, prohibition

Origin of certiorari

1
C15: from legal Latin: to be informed

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