- 1a person in a court who has the authority to decide how criminals should be punished or to make legal decisions a Supreme Court judge a federal judge The case comes before Judge Cooper next week. The judge sentenced him to five years in prison. compare Justice of the Peace, magistrate in competition
- 2a person who decides who has won a competition the panel of judges at the flower show The judges' decision is final.
- 3[usually singular] a person who has the necessary knowledge or skills to give their opinion about the value or quality of someone or something She's a good judge of character. The last singer was the best—not that I'm any judge (= I do not know much about the subject). “I'm not sure that's a good way to do it.” “Let me be the judge of that.”
in court
Check pronunciation: judge