lawsuit

American  

[law-soot] / ˈlɔˌsut /

noun

1. a case in a court of law involving a claim, complaint, etc., by one party against another; suit at law.

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lawsuit British  

/ -ˌsjuːt, ˈlɔːˌsuːt /

noun

1. a proceeding in a court of law brought by one party against another, esp a civil action

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Etymology

Origin of lawsuit

First recorded in 1615–25; law ¹ + suit

Compare meaning

How does lawsuit compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• litigation vs. lawsuit

Example Sentences

But in early 2024, Banna said, she discovered a troubling trend in some of the firm’s most lucrative cases: Clients who claimed they were paid before joining lawsuits.

From Los Angeles Times

The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court, alleges the school failed to make safety improvements to the parking lot despite previous complaints from parents about how student dismissal was handled.

From Los Angeles Times

The lawsuit is the latest instance of fire safety watchdogs teaming up with local residential groups to stop unrestrained development in hazardous areas as the state pushes to address its housing crisis.

From Los Angeles Times

The Journal has moved to dismiss the lawsuit.

From The Wall Street Journal

Attorney Christian Contreras, who filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of Lowe’s family, said his clients had been holding out hope that the officers would be criminally charged.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• accusation
• action
• argument
• bill
• case
• claim
• dispute
• impeachment
• indictment
• litigation
• prosecution
• suit
• trial