plaintiff

American  

[pleyn-tif] / ˈpleɪn tɪf /

noun

Law.

1. a person who brings suit in a court (defendant ).

---

plaintiff British  

/ ˈpleɪntɪf /

noun

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

---

plaintiff Cultural  

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

---

Other Word Forms

• plaintiffship noun

Etymology

Origin of plaintiff

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English plaintif “complaining person,” noun use of the adjective; plaintive

Example Sentences

The plaintiffs filing these cases deserve our enormous appreciation and respect.

From MarketWatch

Among other faults, he noted, the plaintiff’s lawyers never adequately fessed up to their wrongdoing.

From Los Angeles Times

What’s Next: The plaintiff said apps like Instagram and YouTube keep users on their devices even as their mental health declines and makes them vulnerable to exploitation.

From Barron's

Shareholders have 60 days to file a motion to be considered as a lead plaintiff.

From Barron's

The companies have to pay a relatively small amount of damages, with the plaintiff in the Los Angeles case awarded $6 million.

From Barron's

Related Words

• complainant
• litigant
• prosecutor