prosecutor

American

[pros-i-kyoo-ter] / ˈprɒs ɪˌkyu tər /

noun

Law.
1. prosecuting attorney.
2. a person, as a complainant or chief witness, instigating prosecution in a criminal proceeding.
a person who prosecutes.

Etymology

Origin of prosecutor

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Medieval Latin, Late Latin prōsecūtor “pursuer”; prosecute, -tor

Compare meaning

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

district attorney vs. prosecutor

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.

Dugan went into the hallway and, according to prosecutors, confronted the agents, asking if they had a warrant.

From The Wall Street Journal

Federal prosecutors claimed the pair took money from a Mexican bank and Azerbaijan-controlled energy company in exchange for boosting their interests in Washington.

From The Wall Street Journal

Some 17,000 people, many of them elderly, were caught up in the fraud, prosecutors said.

From The Wall Street Journal

Under those terms, Gentile may not have to pay $15 million that federal prosecutors are seeking in forfeiture.

From Los Angeles Times

In court footage released by prosecutors, a man with a British accent speaks via a translator from inside a barred cage, which is standard practice for many Russian hearings.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023