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Added 8 October 2026

summons

/ˈsʌ.mənz/ noun

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about summons at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A request to be present.
they came at his bidding
An order to appear in person at a given place and time.
A writ issued by authority of law; usually compels the defendant's attendance in a civil suit; failure to appear results in a default judgment against the defendant.

verb

Call in an official matter, such as to attend court.

Origin

From Middle English somouns (“order or command to do something”), borrowed from Old French sumunce (modern French semonce), from Vulgar Latin *summonsa, a noun use of the feminine past participle of summoneō, summonēre (“to summon”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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