jurisdiction Look up jurisdiction at Dictionary.com
c.1300 "administration of justice" (attested from 1267 in Anglo-L.), from L. jurisdictionem (nom. jurisdictio) "administration of justice, jurisdiction," from jus (gen. juris; see jurist) "right, law" + dictionem (nom. dictio) "a saying." Meaning "extent or range of administrative power" is from c.1380.