A special court or group of people chosen to make judgments or decisions, especially in legal or official matters.
From Latin *tribunal* “raised platform for magistrates,” from *tribunus* “tribune, official.” The word moved from meaning the judge’s seat to meaning the judging body itself.
A tribunal is law with a spotlight on it—set up for serious or unusual cases like war crimes or sports doping. The word still carries the feeling of people sitting up high, literally and socially, judging the rest of us.
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