noun

plaintiff

PLAYN-tihf

noun

The person who brings a case against someone else in a civil lawsuit.

"The plaintiff argued that the company had breached the contract."

"The court ruled in favor of the plaintiff."

How to Use Plaintiff

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe person suing someone else in a civil court case (as opposed to the defendant, who is being sued).

Common mistake

Don't confuse with "plaintive," which describes a sad or mournful sound — they come from the same root but mean very different things today.

Easily confused with

plaintive → defendant →

Common pairings

the plaintiff argued rule in favor of the plaintiff

plaintiffs plural

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Can you complete this real example?

The _____ argued that the company had breached the contract.

From Old French plaintif, "complaining" — the same root that gives us "plaintive," making them etymological twins.