noun · 5 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.
/ˈmæd͡ʒ.ɪˌstɹeɪt/
/ˈmæd͡ʒ.ɪ.stɹɪt/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:M AE1 JH AH0 S T R EY2 T
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
CMU ARPABET 2:M AE1 JH IH0 S T R EY2 T
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A judicial officer with limited authority to administer and enforce the law. A magistrate's court may have jurisdiction in civil or criminal cases, or both.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: law
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A high official of the state or a municipality in ancient Greece or Rome.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: historical
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A comparable official in medieval or modern institutions.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: broadly
Examples
Like other civil servants, Ashok Kumar started his career as an Assistant Collector cum Sub-divisional Magistrate.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
A master's degree.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Quebec
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
a lay judge or civil authority who administers the law (especially one who conducts a court dealing with minor offenses)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: judge, justice, jurist
Narrower terms: justice of the peace, stipendiary, stipendiary magistrate
History
Etymology
From Middle English magistrat, maiestrat (“magistrate; magistracy”), borrowed from Latin magistrātus. See also -ate (forms nouns denoting rank or office).
Across languages
Translations
46 source translations are retained for this English entry.