plaintiff

English Online Dictionary. What means plaintiff‎? What does plaintiff mean?

English

Etymology

From Middle English plaintif, from Anglo-Norman, from Old French plaintif (“complaining”; as a noun, “one who complains, a plaintiff”) from the verb plaindre. Doublet of plaintive.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpleɪntɪf/
• Rhymes: -eɪntɪf

Noun

plaintiff (plural plaintiffs)

1. (law, UK historical, otherwise current) A party bringing a suit in civil law against a defendant; accuser.

   Synonyms: actor, (English and Singapore law) claimant, complainant, litigant, (Scots law) pursuer

   Antonym: defendant

   Hypernyms: litigant, litigator

   Hyponyms: petitioner, suer

Usage notes

Plaintiff is used in civil law, and should not be confused with complainant, the alleged victim in a criminal prosecution (who is not a party to the legal proceeding).

Derived terms

• plaintiff in error

Related terms

• plaintive

Translations

Further reading

• “plaintiff”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “plaintiff”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.