mirandize
mih-RAN-dyze
/mɪˈrænˌdaɪz/
To recite constitutional rights to an arrested suspect.
A specific legal verb referring to the mandatory reading of Miranda warnings upon arrest.
The story behind the word. Mirandize was coined after the landmark 1966 US Supreme Court case Miranda v. Arizona. Ernesto Miranda's conviction was overturned because police failed to advise him of his right to remain silent and right to legal counsel.
Word relationships
- inform of rights: Inform of rights is a descriptive phrase, whereas mirandize is the specific legal verb.
Commonly confused with
- interrogate: Mirandizing is stating constitutional rights; interrogating is actively questioning the suspect.
Word family
- Miranda warning (noun): The standard legal warning read to criminal suspects upon arrest
- Miranda rights (noun): Constitutional rights to remain silent and receive legal counsel
Collocations
- fail to mirandize
- properly mirandize
- mirandize a suspect
- mirandize upon arrest
Example sentences
- "The arresting officer made sure to mirandize the suspect immediately after placing him in handcuffs." Police procedure
- "The attorney argued that failure to mirandize the defendant rendered his initial statement inadmissible." Legal defense
Memory hook
MIRANDIZE means state MIRANDA rights. Read legal rights upon arrest.
When not to use
Never use outside law enforcement/legal contexts or to mean general informal warnings.
Fun facts
- Ernesto Miranda himself was killed in a bar fight in 1976; the suspect in his murder exercised his Miranda rights and refused to speak!
Related words
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