defendant

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C1 — Advanced

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

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

Etymology

From Middle English defendaunt (“defending; defending in a suit”), borrowed from Old French defendant, present participle of defendre, from Latin dēfendere.

In classic literature

Synonyms

suspect

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