defendant
Translation
defendant, the accused
Examples
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Grammar Patterns
((the)) defendant the person accused of a crime in court The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Similar Words
Synonyms: the accused, respondent; Antonyms: plaintiff, claimant, prosecutor
Etymology
From the verb 'defend'. The '-ant' suffix denotes a person performing an action, here, the person 'defending' themselves in court.
Memory Tips
The 'defendant' is the one who must 'defend' their case in court.