defendant
dih-FEN-dunt
/dɪˈfen.dənt/
An individual, company, or institution sued or accused in a court of law.
Refers to the responding party in both criminal trials and civil lawsuits.
The story behind the word. From Old French defendant, the present participle of defender. The defendant is literally the person standing guard to ward off charges or civil claims.
Word relationships
- accused: Accused is used almost exclusively in criminal matters.
- respondent: Respondent is typically used in appeals or family court petitions.
- plaintiff: Plaintiff is the party who initiates a civil lawsuit.
- accuser: Accuser is the party leveling charges or claims.
Commonly confused with
- plaintiff: Plaintiff initiates the lawsuit; defendant defends against it.
Word family
- defend (verb): To resist an attack or criminal charge in court.
- defense (noun): The case presented by or on behalf of the party accused.
Collocations
- co-defendant
- criminal defendant
- lawsuit against the defendant
Example sentences
- "The defendant entered the courtroom flanked by legal counsel." Legal Proceedings
- "The defendant denied all allegations of breach of contract." Civil Trial
Memory hook
The DEFENDant is the person who must DEFEND themselves in court. Defend the charge = Defendant.
When not to use
Do not use to refer to the person bringing the lawsuit.
Fun facts
- In civil cases, corporate entities are referred to as defendants just like human beings.
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