Puis"ne (pū"n&ybreve;), a. [See Puny.] 1. Later in age, time, etc.; subsequent. [Obs.] " A puisne date to eternity." Sir M. Hale.

2. Puny; petty; unskilled. [Obs.]

3. (Law) Younger or inferior in rank; junior; associate; as, a chief justice and three puisne justices of the Court of Common Pleas; the puisne barons of the Court of Exchequer. Blackstone.

Puis"ne, n. One who is younger, or of inferior rank; a junior; esp., a judge of inferior rank.

It were not a work for puisnes and novices.

• (Law) inferior in rank. A puisne justice of a court is a judge other than the chief justice.