defendant
See also: défendant
EnglishEdit
Alternative formsEdit
- defendaunt (obsolete)
PronunciationEdit
Etymology 1Edit
From Middle English defendaunt (“defending; defending in a suit”), borrowed from Old French defendant, present participle of defendre, from Latin dēfendere.
AdjectiveEdit
defendant (comparative more defendant, superlative most defendant)
- Serving, or suitable, for defense; defensive, defending.
- 1599, William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iv]:
- Thus comes the English with full power upon us;
And more than carefully it us concerns
To answer royally in our defences.
Therefore the Dukes of Berri and of Bretagne,
Of Brabant and of Orleans, shall make forth,
And you, Prince Dauphin, with all swift dispatch,
To line and new repair our towns of war
With men of courage and with means defendant;
Etymology 2Edit
From Middle English defendaunt (“defendant in a suit; defender”), borrowed from Old French defendant, nominalisation of defendant; see above.
NounEdit
defendant (plural defendants)
- (law) In civil proceedings, the party responding to the complaint; one who is sued and called upon to make satisfaction for a wrong complained of by another.
- (law) In criminal proceedings, the accused.
AntonymsEdit
- (in civil proceedings): plaintiff, claimant
- (in criminal proceedings): prosecutor
HypernymsEdit
Derived termsEdit
Related termsEdit
TranslationsEdit
party responding to the complaint
person prosecuted or sued, the accused
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LatinEdit
VerbEdit
dēfendant