defendant

[dih-fen-duhnt, -dant]

noun

1. Law.,  a person, company, etc., against whom a claim or charge is brought in a court (plaintiff ).

2. Obsolete.,  defender.

adjective

1. making one's defense; defending.

   a defendant corporation.

2. Obsolete.,  defensive.

defendant

/ dɪˈfɛndənt /

noun

1. a person against whom an action or claim is brought in a court of law Compare plaintiff

adjective

1. making a defence; defending

defendant

1. The party that is being sued in court. (Compare plaintiff.)

Other Word Forms

• nondefendant noun
• undefendant adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of defendant¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English defendaunt, from Anglo-French ( Middle French, Old French defendant ). See defend, -ant

Example Sentences

The panel said he also engaged in a pattern of improper remarks that “were discourteous and gave the appearance of bias to a crime victim, prospective jurors, defendants, attorneys and others.”

From Los Angeles Times

The jury failed to reach verdicts on two other defendants, a man and a boy, and a retrial will be held in 2026.

From BBC

District Judge Briony Clarke said the prosecution addressed the complainant according to their "affirmed gender name", while the defendant's position was that the "complainant is male".

From BBC

Delivering his verdict, Judge Williams said: "You knew that she was only 14 years old," he said to the defendant about his victim, adding she was wearing her school uniform on the second encounter.

From BBC

It's not in dispute that the defendant sent the relevant social media posts between 11 October and 27 October, and it's not in dispute that the defendant seized and threw the phone of the complainant.

From BBC

Related Words

• litigant 
• offender 
• prisoner 
• suspect