victor's justice

noun

Unfair judgement in which an entity gives preferential treatment to its own forces over those of a defeated enemy.

OriginGerman Siegerjustiz →
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Meanings

nounvictor's justice (uncountable)
  1. uncountableUnfair judgement in which an entity gives preferential treatment to its own forces over those of a defeated enemy.

Origin

  1. GermanSiegerjustiz
  2. Englishvictor's justice

According to Wikipedia, first used in English by Richard Minear in 1971. If so, probably a calque of German Siegerjustiz, which is attestable since at least the 1950s, originally with reference to the Nuremberg trials (and related Allied trials against alleged German war criminals).

More words from German

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

victor's justice. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/victor's%20justice

MLA

“victor's justice.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/victor's%20justice. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “victor's justice,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/victor's%20justice.

Source: victor's justice on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.