Definition of Defendant

1. Noun. A person or institution against whom an action is brought in a court of law; the person being sued or accused.

Exact synonyms: Suspect
Category relationships: Jurisprudence, Law
Specialized synonyms: Accused, Co-defendant, Codefendant
Generic synonyms: Litigant, Litigator
Derivative terms: Defend, Suspect
Antonyms: Plaintiff

Definition of Defendant

1. a. Serving, or suitable, for defense; defensive.

2. n. One who defends; a defender.

Definition of Defendant

1. Noun. (legal) 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. ¹

2. Noun. (legal) In criminal proceedings, the accused. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Defendant

1. [n -S]

Medical Definition of Defendant

1. 1. One who defends; a defender. "The rampiers and ditches which the defendants had cast up." (Spotswood) 2. A person required to make answer in an action or suit; opposed to plaintiff. The term is applied to any party of whom a demand is made in court, whether the party denies and defends the claim, or admits it, and suffers a default; also to a party charged with a criminal offense. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Defendant

defence program
defence reaction
defence system
defenced
defenceless
defencelessly
defencelessness
defenceman
defencemen
defences
defencing
defencively
defend
defendable
defendably
defendant (current term)
defendants
defendaunt
defended
defendee
defendees
defender
defenderless
defenders
defending
defending team
defending zone
defending zones
defendor
defendour

Literary usage of Defendant

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Reports of Cases Argued and Determined in the High Court of Chancery During by Steuart Macnaghten, Great Britain Court of Chancery, Alexander Gordon, Charles Christopher Pepys Cottenham, Thomas Wilde Truro, Jonathan Cogswell Perkins (1871)
"is perfectly true, that if a transaction to which the bill relates as between a plaintiff and defendant has been transacted in part by an agent, ..."

2. South Eastern Reporter by West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals, West Publishing Company, South Carolina Supreme Court (1922)
"Verdict and judgment for the plaintiff, and the defendant brings error. ... John Kee and Russell S. Ritz, both of Bluefield, for defendant In error. ..."

3. Reports of Cases Argued and Determined in the Court of King's Bench: With by John Leycester Adolphus, Great Britain Court of King's Bench (1842)
"The defendant in this case represents the London Missionary Society, who are unquestionably the occupiers of premises within the parish, and come directly ..."

4. Notes and Queries by Martim de Albuquerque (1862)
"But how much was due for principal and how much for interest, defendant doth ... 9d were accordingly paid by or on behalf of this defendant on or about the ..."

5. Reports of Cases Argued and Determined in the High Court of Chancery: During by Great Britain Court of Chancery, Edward Thurlow Thurlow, Alexander Wedderburn Rosslyn, Jonathan Cogswell Perkins (1844)
"The Plaintiff upon the death of the late Lord Ched- worth became entitled to his real and personal * estates ; [*] and employed the defendant who lived in ..."

6. Publishers Weekly by Publishers' Board of Trade (U.S.), Book Trade Association of Philadelphia, American Book Trade Union, Am. Book Trade Association, R.R. Bowker Company (1907)
"Said interlocutory decree shall also direct the defendant Upham to account ... This without prejudice to further relief against the defendant corporation. ..."

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