Definition of FORENSIC (original) (raw)
1
: belonging to, used in, or suitable to courts of judicature or to public discussion and debate
a lawyer's forensic skills
3
: relating to or dealing with the application of scientific knowledge to legal problems
1
: an argumentative exercise
2
forensics fə-ˈren(t)-siks 
-ˈren-ziks
plural in form but singular or plural in construction : the art or study of argumentative discourse
3
forensics plural in form but singular or plural in construction : the application of scientific knowledge to legal problems
especially : scientific analysis of physical evidence (as from a crime scene)
Did you know?
The noun forensic, meaning “an argumentative exercise” derives from the adjective forensic, whose earliest meaning in English is “belonging to, used in, or suitable to courts or to public discussion and debate.” The English word was derived from a Latin word forensic meaning “of the market place or form, public,” which in turn comes from the Latin word forum, meaning “market place, forum.”
Examples of forensic in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
If there’s little forensic evidence tying Allen to the crime, then the abundance of alternate suspects could present a gold mine for his defense. —
Aja Romano, Vox, 11 Nov. 2024 But through forensic genetic genealogy, Bygd said investigators tracked down Jon Miller, 84, at his apartment in Owatonna, Minnesota. —Antonio Planas, NBC News, 8 Nov. 2024
Dempsey plays Miami Metro Homicide Captain Aaron Spencer and Gellar, 47, portrays Tanya Martin, the CSI chief at the Miami Metro Police Department and Dexter’s new boss at a forensics internship. —Nicholas Rice, People.com, 27 Oct. 2024 Experts in digital forensics can apply nuanced judgment that AI cannot yet replicate, ensuring accuracy and reliability in high-stakes situations. —Lars Daniel, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for forensic 
Word History
Etymology
Adjective and Noun
Latin forensis public, forensic, from forum forum
First Known Use
Adjective
1659, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun
1844, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Time Traveler
The first known use of forensic was in 1659
Dictionary Entries Near forensic
Cite this Entry
“Forensic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forensic. Accessed 19 Nov. 2024.
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Last Updated: 17 Nov 2024 - Updated example sentences
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