en banc

adverb or adjective

äⁿ-ˈbäⁿk How to pronounce en banc (audio)
: in full court : with full judiciary authority

Examples of en banc in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The appeals court’s Friday order said no judge requested a vote on Navarro’s petition for rehearing en banc, meaning review by the full court. — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 28 Aug. 2026 The panel decision was later vacated when the full court voted to grant an en banc rehearing. — Laura Romero, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026 They were eventually upheld by the 9th Circuit Court in an en banc ruling. — Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026 The state could petition the Third Circuit for a rehearing en banc, where other Third Circuit judges review the matter. — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 8 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for en banc

Word History

Etymology

French, on the bench

First Known Use

1854, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of en banc was in 1854

Rhymes for en banc

See All Rhymes for en banc

Browse Nearby Words

en axe
en banc
en bas
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Cite this Entry

“En banc.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/en%20banc. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Legal Definition

en banc

adverb or adjective
variants also in banc also in bank
in-ˈbaŋk, äⁿ-ˈbäⁿk
: with all judges or a quorum of judges present : in full court
an en banc rehearing
heard very few matters en banc—H. B. Zobel
Etymology

Anglo-French en banke, literally, on the bench

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