defendant
pronunciation
How to pronounce defendant in British English:
UK [dɪˈfendənt]
How to pronounce defendant in American English:
US [dɪˈfendənt]
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- Noun:
- a person or institution against whom an action is brought in a court of law; the person being sued or accused
Word Origin
- defendant (n.)
- c. 1400, in the legal sense, from French défendant, present participle of défendre (see defend). Earliest use in English was as a present participle adjective meaning "defending" (c. 1300).
Example
- 1. Rumours suggest mr mashaei may himself be a defendant .
- 2. Mr berlusconi is a defendant in three other trials .
- 3. Mr golding argues that for her to do so in violation of a defendant 's constitutional rights would be a resigning matter .
- 4. No defendant has even been publicly named .
- 5. Defendant banks must respond within a month .