plaintiff

[ pleyn-tif ]

/ ˈpleɪn tɪf /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR plaintiff ON THESAURUS.COM

noun Law.

a person who brings suit in a court (opposed to defendant).

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

plainsman, plainsong, plainstones, plaint, plaintext, plaintiff, plaintive, plaintively, plainview, plainville, plaister

Origin of plaintiff

1350–1400; Middle English plaintif complaining person, noun use of the adj.: plaintive

Related formsplain·tiff·ship, noun

Can be confusedplaintiff plaintive

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for plaintiff

Other plaintiff companies include Stone River Management Co. and Dunstone Co. 9.
After Hobby Lobby, These 82 Corporations Could Drop Birth Control Coverage|Abby Haglage|June 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
United States District Judge Nanette Laughrey ruled for the plaintiff, awarding her $450,0000.
Why the Crisis in VA Hospitals Shames Our Country on Memorial Day|Jake Adelstein|May 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“While there have been well-documented rumors and cases filed, he was sued and the plaintiff lost the lawsuit,” he said.
The NBA’s War With Donald Sterling Is Just Getting Started|Robert Silverman|April 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A plaintiff who does not receive resolution must take the case to the UN Security Council.
Serbia and Croatia’s Competing Genocide Claims|Adam LeBor|March 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST

One key argument made by the plaintiff was that current limits on contributions represent an absurd limitation on speech.
McCutcheon v. FEC: Big Money Fights Back at the Supreme Court|Ben Jacobs|October 9, 2013|DAILY BEAST
We find for the plaintiff, with damages three thousand pounds.
Hard Cash|Charles Reade
Mr. Sergeant Talfourd was for plaintiff, and Mr. Sergeant Ludlow for defendant.
Worcestershire in the Nineteenth Century|T. C. Turberville
They strenuously oppose the production of any of the evidence the plaintiff has offered.
Woman, Church & State|Matilda Joslyn Gage
This is the essential question; for the object of a plaintiff is to obtain not judgment but payment or execution.
A Leap in the Dark|A.V. Dicey
He removed the final f from bailiff, mastiff, plaintiff and pontiff, but left it in distaff.
The American Language|Henry L. Mencken

British Dictionary definitions for plaintiff

plaintiff

/ (ˈpleɪntɪf) /

noun

(formerly) a person who brings a civil action in a court of lawNow replaced by: claimant Compare defendant (def. 1)

Word Origin for plaintiff

C14: from legal French plaintif, from Old French plaintif (adj) complaining, from plainte plaint

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for plaintiff

plaintiff

c.1400, from Anglo-French pleintif (late 13c.), noun use of Old French plaintif "complaining; wretched, miserable," from plainte (see plaint). Identical with plaintive at first; the form that receded into legal usage retained the older -iff spelling.

Culture definitions for plaintiff

plaintiff

The party that institutes a suit in a court. The person or entity the plaintiff sues is the defendant.

plaintiff

noun Law.

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RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of plaintiff

Examples from the Web for plaintiff

British Dictionary definitions for plaintiff

plaintiff

noun

Word Origin for plaintiff

Word Origin and History for plaintiff

plaintiff

Culture definitions for plaintiff

plaintiff