noun
defendant
dih-FEHND-uhnt
noun
1
In a legal case, the person or party being sued or accused.
"The defendant pleaded not guilty to all charges."
"The court ruled in favour of the defendant."
How to Use Defendant
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe person being accused or sued in court, as opposed to the plaintiff or prosecution.
Easily confused with
Word Forms
more defendant comparative, defendants plural, most defendant superlative
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The _____ pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Etymology
From Old French defendant, the present participle of defendre, from Latin dēfendere.