n. 1. A judge or justice of a local or inferior court; a justice of the peace. 2. A judge in a court having jurisdiction over the trial of misdemeanors and preliminary hearings involving felonies. 3. A public official with the chief administrative power in a district or region. [Middle English magistrat, from Old French, from Latin magistrātus, from magister, magistr-, master; see meg- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] |
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