plaintiff
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of plaintiff
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English plaintif “complaining person,” noun use of the adjective; see plaintive
Explanation
In a courtroom, the plaintiff is the person or group who is accusing another person or group of some wrongdoing. If you’re the plaintiff, you are claiming that a law was broken, and you’re in court to present your case. The plaintiff accuses, the defendant tries to prove that accusation wrong. You’ve seen this relationship on television shows about lawyers, or maybe you’ve been to court yourself. The Old French root word translates as “complain” and the Latin root is literally “beating of the breast,” or explaining your grief in a dramatic way. Plaintiff shares roots with the adjective plaintive, which describes a sorrowful sound. The plaintiff made a plaintive cry when the defendant was declared not guilty.
Vocabulary lists containing plaintiff
Twelve Days in May
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A Tale of Two Cities
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Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Local organizers understood the strategic importance of finding a sympathetic plaintiff to challenge bus segregation in the Deep South.
From Salon • May 20, 2026
The plaintiff, Charleen Shavies from Hayward, received eight text messages from June to August that were sent outside of quiet hours, one as early as 7:24 a.m., according to the complaint.
From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026
Chow wrote in a letter to a group of families of victims of the crackdown this month: "This is an absurd trial where the plaintiff has become the defendant."
From Barron's • May 18, 2026
To that end environmentalists and plaintiff lawyers are sharing information on training for federal judges.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026
“I was right next to the plaintiff when this incident occurred,” Danny says, standing next to me.
From "Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish" by Pablo Cartaya
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
