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plaintiff

Pronunciation: /ˈpleɪntɪf/
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Definition of plaintiff

noun

Law
  • a person who brings a case against another in a court of law: the plaintiff commenced an action for damagesCompare with defendant.

Origin:

late Middle English: from Old French plaintif 'plaintive' (used as a noun). The -f ending has come down through Law French; the word was originally the same as plaintive

In England and Wales the term plaintiff was officially replaced by claimant in 1999.

plaintiff in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of plaintiff in the US English dictionary
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