accuser

[ uh-kyoo-zer ]

noun

1. a person who accuses, especially in a court of law:

   a trial in which the accuser and accused may freely speak.

Other Words From

• self-ac·cuser noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of accuser¹

Middle English word dating back to 1300–50; accuse, -er ¹

Example Sentences

Her possible testimony—or anyone who is willing to contradict accusers—may be crucial for the defense.

From The Daily Beast

Before she reported the case to school officials, she didn’t know about the process, and said she was surprised when she found out that office didn’t actually lean in her favor as a student but is a neutral party to accusers and the accused.

From Voice of San Diego

Another component of report indicates David said he’d help seek out names for the op-ed that would have sought to discredit the accuser, although he allegedly said he wouldn’t sign the document.

From Washington Blade

If a teacher stays in the classroom, the accusers or the employee could sue the university for negligence or wrongdoing.

From Voice of San Diego

An initial FBI background check of Kavanaugh had already been completed ahead of his confirmation hearings and his accusers coming forward.

From Washington Post

His accuser was smeared and demeaned, and a star football player was allowed to keep on playing.

From The Daily Beast

Next came another new Cosby accuser, a black woman named “Chelan.”

From The Daily Beast

An Army National Guard colonel charged with knowingly exposing a woman to HIV faced his accuser in a military courtroom on Monday.

From The Daily Beast

The police made the accuser write an apology to Kromah, but he says it is not enough.

From The Daily Beast

Later on, the release refers to the accuser as the “sexual aggressor” with “not one, but two young men early last Sunday morning.”

From The Daily Beast

One other illustration of this keen childish dialectic when face to face with the accuser deserves to be touched on.

From Project Gutenberg

Any exaggeration into which a feeling of indignation happens to betray the accuser is instantly pounced upon.

From Project Gutenberg

As public accuser, he caused the death of immense numbers, of all ages and either sex.

From Project Gutenberg

Planner looked at the letter, read it—then turned his eyes mildly and reproachfully upon his accuser.

From Project Gutenberg

She was summoned to present herself before the Convention, to confront her accuser, and defend herself from the scaffold.

From Project Gutenberg

More About Accuser

What does accuser mean?

An accuser is someone who accuses someone of a crime or offense—says that they are guilty of it.

Doing so is called making an accusation.

Accusing can happen in everyday situations, such as children accusing each other of not sharing, but accuser is typically only used in serious situations, especially when someone accuses someone else of committing a crime.

The person against whom the accusation is made can be described with the adjective accused. Accused is also used as a noun to refer to a person or people who have been charged with a crime, often as the accused. 

In many legal systems, the accused has the right to face their accuser in court.

Example: This verdict has finally brought some justice to his many accusers.

Where does accuser come from?

The first records of the word accuser come from the 1300s. It ultimately derives from the Latin accūsāre, meaning “to call to account,” from causa, “lawsuit.”

Some accusations are more serious than others, and the word accuser is typically reserved for a person making a very serious accusation, especially one involving a crime. Often, this crime was committed against the accuser, such as some kind of abuse. But an accuser can also be someone who witnessed the crime or has evidence or firsthand knowledge of it. Although people who are accused of a crime in the U.S. have a right to face their accuser during a trial, there are also laws that attempt to protect accusers from retribution, such as after reporting harmful behavior in the workplace.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to accuser?

• self-accuser (noun)
• accuse (verb)

What are some words that share a root or word element with accuser? 

• accusation
• cause

What are some words that often get used in discussing accuser?

• face
• court
• crime
• claim
• false
• wrongdoing
• offense
• mistake
• allege
• charge

How is accuser used in real life?

Accuser is almost always used in serious contexts involving the accusation of a crime.

Huge development. Many of Epstein’s accusers have been waiting for this day. https://t.co/wkK0KxaCL3

— Savannah Guthrie (@SavannahGuthrie) July 2, 2020

Everyone needs to take this experience, and learn from it.
Do not idolize top players. Do not harass people who are just telling their stories. They are not just "accusers" – they are people, individual persons who've had to live through both the trauma itself & the harassment.

— Leffen (@TSM_Leffen) July 4, 2020

You have the right to face your accuser, even if it's an algorithm. https://t.co/NVmNGn1pay

— Pierre Omidyar (@pierre) September 17, 2017

 

 

Try using accuser!

Is accuser used correctly in the following sentence?

She was described as a credible accuser in media reports.