certiorari

English

Etymology

From the present passive infinitive of Latin certiōrō (to make certain), from the words used at the beginning of these writs when they were written in Latin: certiorārī volumus ([we] wish to be made certain).

Pronunciation

  • (General American) IPA(key): /ˌsɝʃəˈɹɛəɹaɪ/, /ˌsɝʃəˈɹɛəɹi/, /ˌsɝʃəˈɹɑɹi/
  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˌsɜːʃəˈɹɛəɹaɪ/, /ˌsɜːʃəˈɹɛəɹi/, /ˌsɜːʃəˈɹɑːɹi/
  • Hyphenation: cer‧tio‧ra‧ri

Noun

certiorari (plural certioraris)

  1. (US, law) A grant of the right of an appeal to be heard by an appellate court where that court has discretion to choose which appeals it will hear.
  2. (British, law) A grant of review of a government action by a court with discretion to make such a review.

Derived terms

Latin

Etymology

Form of the verb certiōrō.

Pronunciation

Verb

certiōrārī

  1. present passive infinitive of certiōrō