Plea
/pliː/noun
A request made in an urgent or emotional way, or a formal statement in court.
Did you know?The legal sense of plea comes through Anglo-French from Latin placitum, originally meaning “that which is pleasing” or “a decision,” showing how words of power often began as formal acts of judgment.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
placitum
“that which is pleasing; a decision or decree”
Old French
Old French
plee
“a lawsuit, legal case, or formal pleading”
Middle English
English
plee
“a legal suit or a formal statement in court”
14th Century
English
plee
“an appeal, request, or supplication”
Modern English
English
plea
“an urgent request or a statement made in court”