Standard Lemma guide

forensic

adj · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /fəˈɹɛn.zɪk/
  • /fəˈɹɛn.sɪk/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: F ER0 EH1 N S IH0 K Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: F AO2 R EH1 N S IH0 K Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Relating to the use of science and technology in the investigation and establishment of facts or evidence in a court of law.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • forensic analysis; forensic examination; forensic evidence; forensic investigation; forensic pathologist

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Relating to, or appropriate for, courts of law; suitable or adapted to legal argumentation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: dated, not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Precise, thorough, or highly meticulous, by analogy with a scientific legal investigation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: informal, not-comparable

Examples

  • A forensic account of history
  • With forensic precision

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adj

Meaning 4

Relating to forms of disability associated with criminal risk.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • a forensic learning disability
  • patients with forensic needs

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

adj

Meaning 5

Relating to, or used in, debate or argument.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic, not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

adjective satellite

Meaning 6

used or applied in the investigation and establishment of facts or evidence in a court of law

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • forensic photograph
  • forensic ballistics

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

adjective satellite

Meaning 7

of, relating to, or used in public debate or argument

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Latin forēnsis (“of the forum, public”) + -ic, from forum (“forum, marketplace”).

Across languages

Translations

63 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: جِنائِيّ (jināʔiyy) — relating to the use of science and technology in the investigation and establishment of facts or evidence in a court of law
  • Catalan: forense — relating to the use of science and technology in the investigation and establishment of facts or evidence in a court of law
  • Chinese Mandarin: 法醫的 /法医的 (fǎyī de) — relating to the use of science and technology in the investigation and establishment of facts or evidence in a court of law
  • Czech: forenzní — relating to the use of science and technology in the investigation and establishment of facts or evidence in a court of law
  • Dutch: forensisch — relating to the use of science and technology in the investigation and establishment of facts or evidence in a court of law
  • Dutch: gerechtelijk — relating to the use of science and technology in the investigation and establishment of facts or evidence in a court of law
  • Dutch: gerechts- — relating to the use of science and technology in the investigation and establishment of facts or evidence in a court of law
  • Finnish: rikostekninen — relating to the use of science and technology in the investigation and establishment of facts or evidence in a court of law
  • Finnish: oikeuslääketieteellinen — relating to the use of science and technology in the investigation and establishment of facts or evidence in a court of law
  • French: médicolégal — relating to the use of science and technology in the investigation and establishment of facts or evidence in a court of law
  • French: légal (in médecine légale) — relating to the use of science and technology in the investigation and establishment of facts or evidence in a court of law
  • French: forensique — relating to the use of science and technology in the investigation and establishment of facts or evidence in a court of law
  • German: forensisch — relating to the use of science and technology in the investigation and establishment of facts or evidence in a court of law
  • Greek: δικανικός (dikanikós) — relating to the use of science and technology in the investigation and establishment of facts or evidence in a court of law
  • Greek: εγκληματολογικός (egklimatologikós) — relating to the use of science and technology in the investigation and establishment of facts or evidence in a court of law
  • Hungarian: törvényszéki — relating to the use of science and technology in the investigation and establishment of facts or evidence in a court of law
  • Hungarian: igazságügyi — relating to the use of science and technology in the investigation and establishment of facts or evidence in a court of law
  • Icelandic: réttar- — relating to the use of science and technology in the investigation and establishment of facts or evidence in a court of law
  • Italian: medico-legale — relating to the use of science and technology in the investigation and establishment of facts or evidence in a court of law
  • Japanese: 法医学の (hōigaku no) — relating to the use of science and technology in the investigation and establishment of facts or evidence in a court of law
  • Marathi: न्यायवैद्यकीय (nyāyvaidyakīy) — relating to the use of science and technology in the investigation and establishment of facts or evidence in a court of law
  • Polish: kryminalistyczny — relating to the use of science and technology in the investigation and establishment of facts or evidence in a court of law
  • Polish: sądowy — relating to the use of science and technology in the investigation and establishment of facts or evidence in a court of law
  • Portuguese: forense — relating to the use of science and technology in the investigation and establishment of facts or evidence in a court of law
  • Russian: суде́бно-медици́нский (sudébno-medicínskij) — relating to the use of science and technology in the investigation and establishment of facts or evidence in a court of law
  • Russian: суде́бный (sudébnyj) — relating to the use of science and technology in the investigation and establishment of facts or evidence in a court of law
  • Spanish: forense — relating to the use of science and technology in the investigation and establishment of facts or evidence in a court of law
  • Swedish: forensisk — relating to the use of science and technology in the investigation and establishment of facts or evidence in a court of law
  • Turkish: adli — relating to the use of science and technology in the investigation and establishment of facts or evidence in a court of law
  • Vietnamese: pháp y — relating to the use of science and technology in the investigation and establishment of facts or evidence in a court of law
  • Armenian: դատական (datakan) — relating to, or appropriate for courts of law
  • Bulgarian: съдебен (sǎdeben) — relating to, or appropriate for courts of law
  • Chinese Mandarin: 法庭的 (fǎtíng de) — relating to, or appropriate for courts of law
  • Dutch: gerechtelijk — relating to, or appropriate for courts of law
  • Finnish: oikeudellinen — relating to, or appropriate for courts of law
  • French: légal — relating to, or appropriate for courts of law
  • French: juridique — relating to, or appropriate for courts of law
  • German: gerichtlich — relating to, or appropriate for courts of law
  • German: Gerichts- — relating to, or appropriate for courts of law
  • Greek: δικανικός (dikanikós) — relating to, or appropriate for courts of law
  • Greek: εγκληματολογικός (egklimatologikós) — relating to, or appropriate for courts of law
  • Italian: giudiziario — relating to, or appropriate for courts of law
  • Japanese: 法廷の (hōtei no) — relating to, or appropriate for courts of law
  • Marathi: न्यायवैद्यकीय (nyāyvaidyakīy) — relating to, or appropriate for courts of law
  • Polish: sądowy — relating to, or appropriate for courts of law
  • Portuguese: forense — relating to, or appropriate for courts of law
  • Russian: суде́бный (sudébnyj) — relating to, or appropriate for courts of law
  • Spanish: legal — relating to, or appropriate for courts of law
  • Chinese Mandarin: 辯論的 /辩论的 (biànlùn de) — relating to, or used in debate or argument
  • Dutch: retorisch — relating to, or used in debate or argument
  • Finnish: oikeudellinen — relating to, or used in debate or argument
  • French: de barreau — relating to, or used in debate or argument
  • French: rhétorique — relating to, or used in debate or argument
  • German: rhetorisch — relating to, or used in debate or argument
  • Greek: ρητορικός (ritorikós) — relating to, or used in debate or argument
  • Italian: legale — relating to, or used in debate or argument
  • Japanese: 討論の (tōron no) — relating to, or used in debate or argument
  • Japanese: 弁論の (benron no) — relating to, or used in debate or argument
  • Polish: oratorski — relating to, or used in debate or argument
  • Portuguese: retórico — relating to, or used in debate or argument
  • Russian: ритори́ческий (ritoríčeskij) — relating to, or used in debate or argument
  • Spanish: retórico — relating to, or used in debate or argument
  • Vietnamese: biện luận — relating to, or used in debate or argument