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noun

habeas

noun
1
Short for "habeas corpus," a legal order requiring a detained person to be brought before a court.
"His lawyer filed a habeas petition to challenge the detention."

How to Use Habeas

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA legal right that lets someone challenge unlawful imprisonment in court.

Common pairings
habeas petition habeas corpus

Word Forms

habeases plural

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His lawyer filed a _____ petition to challenge the detention.

Etymology

Shortened from the Latin legal phrase habeas corpus, literally "you shall have the body" (of the person before the court).

Rhymes for habeas

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial