Definition

A judge who serves in the legal system of the Isle of Man.

Example

The deemster presided over the court case with great authority.

Conversation

Did you hear about the new deemster appointed in the Isle of Man?

Yeah, I read something about that; it's interesting how they select them.

I wonder what kind of cases the deemster will handle this year.

Probably a mix of civil and criminal cases, just like the last one.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Deemster is derived from the Old English word 'demestre', which means judge or one who decides. The root 'dem-' comes from the Proto-Germanic '*dōmō', meaning judgment or decree, and the suffix '-ster' indicates a person associated with a specific role. Thus, a deemster is a person who makes judgments or decisions, particularly in a legal context.

Memory Tip

Think of a 'judge' ('demestre') who is responsible for making important decisions — that's what a deemster does.

Visually Confused Words