die Jury, -s

Definition & meaning

The word Jury refers to a group of people chosen to judge a competition, evaluate performances, or make a decision in a specific context.

1. In competitions: A panel of experts or judges appointed to evaluate participants (e.g., in a talent show, a sports event, or an art exhibition) and award prizes or points.
2. In a legal context: A group of laypeople (jurors) who listen to the evidence in a court of law and decide on the verdict of a case. However, it is important to note that the classic "jury system" as it exists in the United States or the United Kingdom does not exist in the German legal system in the same way; in Germany, this role is typically fulfilled by professional judges assisted by lay judges (Schöffen ↗).

Grammar & Word origin

• Grammar: It is a feminine noun (die Jury). The plural form is die Jurys.
• Origin: The word is a loanword from the English "jury," which originates from the Old French "juree" (oath, legal inquiry). It has been integrated into the German language to describe panels of judges or experts.

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms:

• Preisgericht ↗: Specifically used for a panel that awards prizes in competitions.
• Gremium ↗: A general term for a committee or a board of people tasked with making decisions.
• Bewertungsausschuss ↗: A committee tasked with evaluation.
• Schöffengericht ↗: Used specifically in legal contexts where laypeople participate in the judging process.
• Fachjury ↗: A panel composed specifically of experts in the field.

Antonyms:

• There are no direct grammatical antonyms for this word, but in a contest, the counterparts would be the Teilnehmer [?](vocabuo://word/Teilnehmer] (participants) or the Kandidaten [?](vocabuo://word/Kandidaten] (candidates), who are the ones being evaluated by the jury.