# oyer and terminer

> English word · Noun

## Definitions
1. A commission under which a court is empowered to hear and determine a criminal case.
2. The hearing or trial carried out under such authority.

## Etymology
From Middle English oier and terminer, oyer and termyner, from Anglo-Norman oyer (“hear”) and terminer (“determine”).

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