puisne

French puisné, now obsolete form of puîné, contraction of puis (“later”) + né (“born”). Related to puny.

• IPA^(key): /ˈpjuː.ni/

puisne (not comparable)

1. (law) Inferior in rank. A puisne justice of a court is a judge other than the chief justice.

   the puisne barons of the Court of Exchequer

2. (obsolete) Later in age, time, etc.; subsequent.
   • Sir M. Hale

     a puisne date to eternity

3. (obsolete) Puny; petty; unskilled.

• The term is used almost exclusively in common law jurisdictions such as England, Australia, Canada, Sri Lanka, and formerly in Hong Kong. The equivalent term in the United States is associate justice.

• punies, supine