Magistracy

n. position or duties of a magistrate; body of magistrates, magistrates collectively

Etymology Derived from Middle English word "magistrat" known since c.1374, "civil officer in charge of administering laws", from Old French magistrat, from Latin "magistratus", from magister "master", itself from contrastive adjective from the adverb magis "more", itself a comparative degree of magnus ("great").
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Noun
1. the position of magistrate
(synonym) magistrature
(hypernym) position, post, berth, office, spot, billet, place, situation

(n.)
The office or dignity of a magistrate.
  

(n.)
The collective body of magistrates.
  

In its most enlarged signification, this term includes all officers, legislative, executive, and judicial. For example, in most of the state constitutions will be found this provision; "the powers of the government are divided into three distinct departments, and each of these is confided to a separate magistracy, to wit: those which are legislative, to one; those which are executive, to another; and those which are judiciary, to another." In a more confined sense, it signifies the body of officers whose duty it is to put the laws in force; as, judges, justices of the peace, and the like. In a still narrower sense it is employed to designate the body of justices of peace. It is also used for the office of a magistrate.
   

This entry contains material from Bouvier's Legal Dictionary, a work published in the 1850's.