One entry found for habeas corpus.

Main Entry: ha·be·as cor·pus
Pronunciation: h-b--skr-ps
Function: noun
Etymology: derived from the Latin phrase, meaning literally "you should have the body," used as the opening words of a legal order to jailers to bring the prisoner to court
1 : a legal order for an inquiry to determine whether a person has been lawfully imprisoned
2 : the right of a citizen to obtain a writ of habeas corpus as a protection against illegal imprisonment

Pronunciation Symbols