n. 1 a civil officer administering the law. 2 an official conducting a court for minor cases and preliminary hearings (magistrates' court). magistrateship n. magistrature n.
[ ME f. L magistratus (as MAGISTRAL) ]
MAGISTRATE
Meaning of MAGISTRATE in English
Concise Oxford English dictionary. Краткий оксфордский словарь английского языка. 2012