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adjudicate

uh-JOO-di-kayt /əˈdʒuː.dɪ.keɪt/

verbC1GREGMATUPSC

legalformal

To make a formal judgment or decision about a disputed matter or problem.

This refers specifically to the judge's role in hearing evidence, applying the law, and rendering a final binding decision.

The story behind the word. Adjudicate comes from the Latin 'adjudicare', which means 'to award as a judge'. This is built from 'ad-' (to) and 'judicare' (to judge). The root of 'judicare' is 'judex', which itself is a blend of 'jus' (law) and 'dicere' (to speak). So, to adjudicate is literally 'to speak the law' to a specific dispute.

Word relationships

judge: Judge is both a noun and a verb; adjudicate is a more formal, precise verb that emphasizes the structured process of legal decision-making.
arbitrate: Arbitrate involves a neutral third party resolving a dispute outside of court, whereas adjudicate is strictly a judicial or official state process.

Commonly confused with

advocate: An advocate argues for one side of a case, while a judge adjudicates neutrally between both sides.

Word family

adjudication (noun): The legal process of resolving a dispute or deciding a case.
adjudicator (noun): A person who adjudicates; a judge.

Collocations

adjudicate a dispute
authority to adjudicate
adjudicate a claim
formally adjudicate

Example sentences

"The magistrate must adjudicate dozens of disputed speeding tickets every single afternoon." A description of a traffic judge's daily duties.
"The authority to adjudicate traffic violations has been delegated to administrative law judges in several states." A legal treatise on administrative law.

Memory hook

Think of a judge acting like a 'judy' (as in Judge Judy) who 'communicates' ('cate') the final decision. Adjudicate is what a judge does: they add up the facts and dictate the law.

When not to use

Do not use for informal negotiations, mediations, or decisions made by individuals without legal authority.

Fun facts

In some countries, minor traffic disputes are adjudicated by automated systems or algorithms, though most legal systems still require a human judge to ensure fairness.