# judge

> English word · Noun · IPA /d͡ʒʌd͡ʒ/ · frequency rank #1,193

## Definitions
1. A public official whose duty it is to administer the law, especially by presiding over trials and rendering judgments; a justice.
2. A person who decides the fate of someone or something that has been called into question.
3. A person officiating at a sports event, a contest, or similar; referee.
4. A person who evaluates something or forms an opinion.
5. A shophet, a temporary leader appointed in times of crisis in ancient Israel.

## Etymology
From Middle English juge, jugge, from Old French juge, from Latin iūdex. Displaced native Middle English deme (from Old English dēma (“judge”)) and demere (from Old English dēmere (“judge”)), see also deemer, deemster.

## Easily confused with
- **jug** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/judge-vs-jug)
- **June** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/judge-vs-june)
- **Judy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/judge-vs-judy)
- **Jung** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/judge-vs-jung)
- **judo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/judge-vs-judo)
- **juve** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/judge-vs-juve)
- **jugs** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/judge-vs-jugs)
- **juke** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/judge-vs-juke)
- **Judi** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/judge-vs-judi)
- **jute** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/judge-vs-jute)
- **juice** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/judge-vs-juice)
- **Julie** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/judge-vs-julie)
- **judges** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/judge-vs-judges)
- **jungle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/judge-vs-jungle)
- **judged** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/judge-vs-judged)
- **juggle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/judge-vs-juggle)
- **jade** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jade-vs-judge)
- **Jude** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jude-vs-judge)
- **Judd** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/judd-vs-judge)
- **Jorge** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/jorge-vs-judge)

## Common misspellings (7)
`jduge`, `jjudge`, `juddge`, `judeg`, `judgge`, `jugde`, `ujdge`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/judge