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.

Lai was kept in solitary confinement at his own request to avoid harassment, prosecutors said.

From Barron's

They were rescued Friday morning in Bourg-les-Valence without any ransom being paid, according to the prosecutor.

From Barron's

Financial crime prosecutors in France say they have opened a preliminary inquiry into former Culture Minister Jack Lang over his links to Jeffrey Epstein.

From BBC

According to media accounts and Mexican officials, he agreed to become a cooperating witness for U.S. prosecutors pursuing other traffickers.

From Los Angeles Times

As a prosecutor, she had helped try the Enron executives, winning her Washington notice and landing her in the White House as President Barack Obama’s counsel.

From The Wall Street Journal

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