Defendant: meaning, definitions and examples

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defendant

[ dɪˈfɛndənt ]

^{Context #1}

in a legal context

A person, company, or institution against whom an action is brought in a court of law.

Synonyms

accused, offender, respondent

Examples of usage

The defendant was found guilty of the crime.
The defendant's lawyer argued for a lighter sentence.

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in a general context

A person or group that is accused or criticized for something.

Synonyms

subject, target, victim

Examples of usage

The company was the defendant in the lawsuit.
He felt like a defendant in the argument.

Translations

Translations of the word "defendant" in other languages:

🇵🇹 réu

🇮🇳 प्रतिवादी

🇩🇪 Angeklagter

🇮🇩 terdakwa

🇺🇦 відповідач

🇵🇱 oskarżony

🇯🇵 被告 (ひこく)

🇫🇷 défendeur

🇪🇸 demandado

🇹🇷 sanık

🇰🇷 피고인

🇸🇦 مدعى عليه

🇨🇿 obžalovaný

🇸🇰 žalovaný

🇨🇳 被告 (bèigào)

🇸🇮 toženec

🇮🇸 stefndi

🇰🇿 айыпталушы

🇬🇪 ბრალდებული

🇦🇿 müttəhim

🇲🇽 demandado

Word origin

The word 'defendant' originated from the Latin word 'defendere', which means 'to defend'. In legal terms, a defendant is someone who is defending themselves in a court of law against accusations or charges. The concept of a defendant has been a key element of legal systems for centuries, dating back to ancient civilizations. The role of the defendant is to present their case and challenge the evidence brought against them in order to prove their innocence.