Defendant
/dɪˈfɛn.dənt/noun
A person or party being accused or sued in a court of law.
Did you know?The word comes from the same Latin root as *defend* and originally meant someone who is actively warding off an attack, not just sitting in the accused’s chair.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
defendere
“to ward off, repel, protect”
Old French
Old French
defendant
“defending, resisting”
Middle English
English
defendant
“one who defends or resists in a legal case”
Modern English
English
defendant
“a person or party against whom a legal action is brought”