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): /ˌsɝʃəˈɹɛɹaɪ/, /ˌsɝʃəˈɹɛɹi/, /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

• cert. (abbreviation)
  • cert (alternative form)
• cert pool

Latin

Etymology

Form of the verb certiōrō.

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ker.ti.oːˈraː.riː/, [kɛrt̪ioːˈräːriː]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /t͡ʃer.t͡si.oˈra.ri/, [t͡ʃert̪͡s̪ioˈräːri]

Verb

certiōrārī

1. present passive infinitive of certiōrō