jurisprudence

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
jurisprudence /ˌdʒʊərɪsˈpruːd(ə)ns/

▶noun

• 1 the theory or philosophy of law.

• 2 a legal system.

– derivatives
jurisprudent adjective & noun,
jurisprudential adjective.

– origin C17: from late L. jurisprudentia, from L. jus, jur- ‘law’ + prudentia ‘knowledge’.