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Definition of appellate

appellate

/əˈpɛl.ət/
ap · pel · late
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appellate Lexical Profile

appellate Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

Relating to legal appeals or having the jurisdiction and authority to review and revise the decisions of a lower court.

Example

"The defense attorney filed a brief with the state appellate court to challenge the original verdict."

Word Nuance & Usage

Do not confuse 'appellate', an adjective describing a court that hears appeals, with 'appellant', a noun referring to the person who files the appeal.

• Rhymes for appellate

• Nearby Words

appeaser
appeasingly
appellant
appellate
append
appendage
appendectomy

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in the 18th century from Latin appellatus, the past participle of appellare ('to address, accost, or appeal to'), formed from ad- ('to') and a root related to pellere ('to drive').

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Appellate. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/appellate
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