subpoena

Meaning

Noun

1. A writ (“written order”) requiring someone to appear in court, or at a deposition or some other legal proceeding, as a witness to give testimony (a subpoena ad testificandum) or to produce evidence (subpoena duces tecum), in default of which the person may be punished.
2. (historical) A writ requiring a defendant to appear in court to answer a plaintiff's claim (a subpoena ad respondendum); in England and Wales, and Ireland, this writ was formerly issued by the Court of Chancery at the plaintiff's request to commence a suit, but the procedure was abolished in 1852.
3. (figuratively) A motive or thing which can compel or demand something, or summon someone.

Verb

1. (transitive) To summon (someone) with a subpoena (noun sense 1) to appear in court, or at a deposition or some other legal proceeding, as a witness to give testimony or to produce evidence; to serve a subpoena on (someone).
2. (transitive) To require (a document or other evidence) to be produced before a court, or at a deposition or some other legal proceeding.
3. (figuratively, transitive) To compel or summon (someone or something); to demand.

Synonyms

summons

summon

assign

allocate

earmark

citation

appoint

allot

writ

cite

subpoena ad testificandum

notice

challenge

call

dare

indictment

monition

pick

⛏️

process

send for

service

serving

sue

voucher

judicial writ

swear out

service of process

process of monition

accredit

call-up papers

arraignment

ascribe

attach

award

bestow

calling

📲

convocation

daring

defy

demand

evisceration

evocation

gantlet

gauntlet

Translations

vorladen

Vorladung

citación

consignar

anweisen

assignieren

toewijzen

zugedenken

assignar

assignare

überweisen

citar

zuweisen

zitieren

voor het gerecht dagen

Pronounced as (IPA)

/səˈpiːnə/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: sub pena

In summary

Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *upó
Proto-Italic *supo
Medieval Latin subbor.
Proto-Indo-European *kʷey-
Proto-Indo-European *-nós
Proto-Indo-European *kʷoynéh₂
Ancient Greek ποινή (poinḗ)bor.
Medieval Latin poenabor.
Middle English sub pena
English subpoena
The noun sense is derived from Late Middle English sub pena (“writ requiring defendant to appear in the Court of Chancery to answer a plaintiff’s claim or to be punished; writ requiring witness to appear in court”), from Latin sub (“under”) + poena (“penalty, punishment”), from the opening words of the writ. The verb sense is derived from the noun one.