Word
subpoena
Phoneticssub·poe·na, stress on the second syllable
US/səˈpinə/
UK/suːpˈiːnɐ/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a legal document that orders someone to go to a court of law. If you receive one, you must appear as a witness or provide specific documents.
n. a formal written order issued by a court or other government agency to compel a witness to testify or produce evidence. Failure to comply typically results in a penalty for contempt.
Examples
“The lawyer sent a subpoena to the witness.”
“The company received a subpoena for all internal emails related to the merger investigation.”
“Legal counsel advised the executive that ignoring the subpoena would likely result in a contempt of court charge, regardless of the sensitive nature of the requested documents.”
Examples
simple
“The lawyer sent a subpoena to the witness.”
contextual
“The company received a subpoena for all internal emails related to the merger investigation.”
complex
“Legal counsel advised the executive that ignoring the subpoena would likely result in a contempt of court charge, regardless of the sensitive nature of the requested documents.”
Usage
Often used with the verbs 'issue', 'serve', or 'comply with'.
Pitfall
the police subpoenaed to him
the police subpoenaed him
When used as a verb, it is transitive and does not take the preposition 'to'.
Real-World Examples
“McDonald confirmed once again that he had been subpoenaed and ordered to appear at the trial in Nevada.” “Court filings show that representatives for the BBC's legal team attempted in May to serve subpoenas to the president's son Donald Trump Jr., his daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner.” Etymology
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.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/subpoena