Definition and meaning of English word "defendant"
defendant
/dɪˈfɛndənt/
Meaning
NounIn 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.
How to use
The term 'defendant' is typically used in formal, legal contexts, particularly in civil proceedings. A common grammatical nuance to note is that the defendant is often referred to as 'the defendant' rather than simply 'defendant', especially when discussing a specific case. For instance, 'The defendant in the lawsuit denied all allegations.'
🇬🇧 English
defendant
Example
The defendant pled not guilty to all charges brought forward by the prosecutor.
Your personal vocabulary
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Common phrases
- defendant's counsel— counsel for the defendant
- defendant's testimony— testimony of the defendant
- default judgment against the defendant— default judgment against the defendant
This concept in other languages
Frequency rank: #1332 in English
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does the English word "defendant" mean?▼
The English word "defendant" means "defendant" in English.
How do you pronounce the English word "defendant"?▼
You can hear the correct audio pronunciation of the word "defendant" by clicking the play button next to the word at the top of this page.
Can I see an example sentence with "defendant"?▼
Yes, here is a practical example: "The defendant pled not guilty to all charges brought forward by the prosecutor." (which translates as "defendant").
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