plaintiff

the party who institutes a suit in court, opposed to defendant

Not to be confused with:

plaintive – expressing sorrow; mournful: a plaintive melody; wistful, sad

plain·tiff

(plān′tĭf)

n. Law

The party that institutes a suit in a court.

[Middle English plaintif, from Anglo-Norman pleintif, from Old French plaintif, aggrieved; see plaintive.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

plaintiff

(ˈpleɪntɪf)

(Law) (formerly) a person who brings a civil action in a court of law. Now replaced by: claimant Compare defendant¹

[C14: from legal French plaintif, from Old French plaintif (adj) complaining, from plainte plaint]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

plain•tiff

(ˈpleɪn tɪf)

n.

one who brings a legal action or suit in a court (opposed to defendant).

[1350–1400; Middle English, n. use of plaintif plaintive]

plaintiff

A person who initiates a court action.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

plaintiff - a person who brings an action in a court of law

complainant

law, jurisprudence - the collection of rules imposed by authority; "civilization presupposes respect for the law"; "the great problem for jurisprudence to allow freedom while enforcing order"

litigant, litigator - (law) a party to a lawsuit; someone involved in litigation; "plaintiffs and defendants are both litigants"

petitioner, suer - someone who petitions a court for redress of a grievance or recovery of a right

defendant, suspect - a person or institution against whom an action is brought in a court of law; the person being sued or accused

plaintiff

noun

One that makes a formal complaint, especially in court:

accuser, claimant, complainant.

Translations

مُدَّعي، مُقَدِّم الدَّعْوى

žalobce-kanavrhovatel

sagsøger

Kläger

ενάγων

demandante querellante

demandeur plaignant

felperes

stefnandi

prasītājs

plaintiff

[ˈpleɪntɪf] N → demandante mf, querellante mf

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

plaintiff

[ˈpleɪntɪf] n → plaignant(e) m/f

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

plaintiff

n → Kläger(in) m(f)

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

plaintiff

[ˈpleɪntɪf] n (Law) → attore/trice

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

plaintiff

(ˈpleintif) noun

a person who starts a legal case against another.

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

"That is just it, your Honour," replied the counsel for the plaintiff; "the defendant by making a correct forecast fooled my client in the only way that he could do so.

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On the defendant's part there had been an attempt, though insufficiently sustained, to blast the plaintiff's character, and a plea, in mitigation of damages, on account of her unamiable temper.

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Dodson and Fogg be wild if the plaintiff shouldn't get it?' added Mrs.

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The latter rite was performed by the public hangman, and it assured moderation in the plaintiff's choice of a switch.

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The plaintiff speaks first, the defendant answers him; each is permitted to rejoin three or four times, then silence is commanded, and the judge takes the opinions of those that are about him.

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In this case, therefore, I conceive the plaintiff must be non-suited; and I should disadvise the bringing any such action."

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Plornish, having been made acquainted with the cause of action from the Defendant's own mouth, gave Arthur to understand that the Plaintiff was a 'Chaunter'--meaning, not a singer of anthems, but a seller of horses--and that he (Plornish) considered that ten shillings in the pound 'would settle handsome,' and that more would be a waste of money.

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Either this must be the case, or the local courts must be excluded from a concurrent jurisdiction in matters of national concern, else the judiciary authority of the Union may be eluded at the pleasure of every plaintiff or prosecutor.

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"I see," said Justice Callahan; "so instead you thought you would knock him down." He turned to the plaintiff, inquiring, "Is there any truth in this story, Mr.

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He called himself for the plaintiff, there was no getting over his evidence, the counsel for the defendant threw up his brief, and the jury did not even turn to consider.

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He said, "it was common, when two YAHOOS discovered such a stone in a field, and were contending which of them should be the proprietor, a third would take the advantage, and carry it away from them both;" which my master would needs contend to have some kind of resemblance with our suits at law; wherein I thought it for our credit not to undeceive him; since the decision he mentioned was much more equitable than many decrees among us; because the plaintiff and defendant there lost nothing beside the stone they contended for: whereas our courts of equity would never have dismissed the cause, while either of them had any thing left.

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Observing this, and how, without another word, he made off, and observing too the resignation of the plaintiff, Sancho buried his head in his bosom and remained for a short space in deep thought, with the forefinger of his right hand on his brow and nose; then he raised his head and bade them call back the old man with the stick, for he had already taken his departure.

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