Magisterial

Magisterial is an English adjective derived from the Latin magister, meaning master or teacher. In its primary sense, it relates to a magistrate or to the authority associated with one. It can describe actions, rulings, or demeanors that are characteristic of a person in a position of official, legal authority, or that convey a sense of formal command.

In legal language, magisterial may describe proceedings or judgments carried out by a magistrate rather than by a jury or by higher courts. For example, magisterial inquiries, magisterial warrants, or a magisterial ruling. The exact scope varies by jurisdiction, but the term generally signals proceedings conducted in a nonjury, administrative, or lower-court context.

In more general usage, magisterial can describe a tone, manner, or style that is commanding and authoritative, sometimes to the point of arrogance. A magisterial address, for instance, or a magisterial tone, implies an assertion of control and superiority.

Etymology: from Medieval Latin magistralis, from Latin magister (master). The word is often used in formal or legal writing, and less commonly in casual speech; when used pejoratively, it suggests overbearing self-assurance.