justice
//ˈd͡ʒʌs.tɪs//
Forms
- Plural
- justices
Definitions
1.The state or characteristic of being just or fair.
- This even-handed justice / Commends the ingredients of our poisoned chalice / To our own lips.
- God recognized the justice of the moon's plea and compensated for its diminution by promising that only the moon would be seen both day and night.
2.The ideal of fairness, impartiality, etc., especially with regard to the punishment of wrongdoing.
3.Judgment and punishment of a party who has allegedly wronged another.
4.The civil power dealing with law.
Frequency
Overall
Common· #959
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Uncommon
- General reading & writing
- Common
- Academic
- Uncommon
- Literature
- Rare
Related words
Word family
Etymology
From Middle English justice, from Old French justise, justice (Modern French justice), from Latin iūstitia (“righteousness, equity”), from iūstus (“just”), from iūs (“right”), from Proto-Italic *jowos, perhaps literally "sacred formula", a word peculiar to Latin (not general Italic) that originated in the religious cults, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂yew-. Doublet of Justitia.