noun
Uncommon
summons
SUH-muhnz
Summons (noun) means a formal order to appear somewhere, especially in court. Example: “He received a summons to appear before the magistrate.”
noun
1
A formal order to appear somewhere, especially in court.
"He received a summons to appear before the magistrate."
"The jury summons arrived in the post on Monday."
verb
1
To formally order someone to appear in court.
"She was summonsed for failing to pay the fine."
How to use summons
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA formal, often legal, order to show up somewhere.
Common mistake
"Summons" is the noun and a rarer verb form; "summon" is the everyday verb. Don't write "summonsed" when you just mean "called."
Easily confused with
Common pairings
a court summons
issue a summons
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Word forms
- Plural
- summonses
- Third person singular
- summonses
- Past tense
- summonsed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
He received a _____ to appear before the magistrate.
Etymology
From Old French sumunce, from Vulgar Latin summonsa, related to summonēre ("to summon").
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “summons” mean?
The word “summons” means a formal order to appear somewhere, especially in court. In plain terms, a formal, often legal, order to show up somewhere.
How do you pronounce “summons”?
“Summons” is pronounced SUH-muhnz (/ˈsʌ.mənz/ in IPA).
How do you use “summons” in a sentence?
Here is “summons” used in a sentence: “He received a summons to appear before the magistrate.”
What is another word for “summons”?
Words with a similar meaning to “summons” include citation, invocation, writ of summons and subpoena.
What part of speech is “summons”?
Depending on how it is used, “summons” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “summons” come from?
The word “summons” comes from Vulgar Latin. From Old French sumunce, from Vulgar Latin summonsa, related to summonēre ("to summon").
Is “summons” a common word?
“Summons” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “summons” have?
“Summons” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a formal order to appear somewhere, especially in court.
