From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Admiralty \Ad"mi*ral*ty\, n.; pl. {Admiralties}. [F.
amiraut['e], for an older amiralt['e], office of admiral, fr.
LL. admiralitas. See {Admiral}.]
1. The office or jurisdiction of an admiral. --Prescott.
[1913 Webster]
2. The department or officers having authority over naval
affairs generally.
[1913 Webster]
3. The court which has jurisdiction of maritime questions and
offenses.
[1913 Webster]
Note: In England, admiralty jurisdiction was formerly vested
in the High Court of Admiralty, which was held before
the Lord High Admiral, or his deputy, styled the Judge
of the Admiralty; but admiralty jurisdiction is now
vested in the probate, divorce, and admiralty division
of the High Justice. In America, there are no admiralty
courts distinct from others, but admiralty jurisdiction
is vested in the district courts of the United States,
subject to revision by the circuit courts and the
Supreme Court of the United States. Admiralty
jurisprudence has cognizance of maritime contracts and
torts, collisions at sea, cases of prize in war, etc.,
and in America, admiralty jurisdiction is extended to
such matters, arising out of the navigation of any of
the public waters, as the Great Lakes and rivers.
[1913 Webster]
4. The system of jurisprudence of admiralty courts.
[1913 Webster]
5. The building in which the lords of the admiralty, in
England, transact business.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
admiralty
n 1: the department in charge of the navy (as in Great Britain)
2: the office of admiral
|
