codefendant

noun

co·​de·​fen·​dant ˌkō-di-ˈfen-dənt How to pronounce codefendant (audio)
 in legal circles often  -ˌdant
variants or co-defendant
plural codefendants or co-defendants
: a defendant in the same lawsuit or criminal prosecution as another defendant or group of defendants : a joint defendant
… the defendant argued that it was plain error for the trial court to have permitted the prosecution to treat his co-defendant as hostile …State v. Saenz, 370 P.3d 1278 (2016)

Examples of codefendant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The same month as the Bleecker St. encounters, Williams and a codefendant, Edmee Chavannes, were arrested for smearing paint over a Black Lives Matter mural on the street outside Trump Tower. Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 24 July 2024 Eastman was among the codefendants charged in the Fulton County district attorney's racketeering case, and California State Bar Court Judge Yvette Roland recommended in March that Eastman be disbarred. Sonam Sheth, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024 According to Rolling Stone, two additional codefendants, Rodalius Ryan, 20, and Marquavius Huey, 28, each pleaded guilty under separate agreements that required no signed statement of facts and no agreement to testify against others on Wednesday (Oct. 30). Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 31 Oct. 2024 None of the three individuals who entered guilty pleas will be required to testify against the remaining codefendants, including the main target of the case, Young Thug. Nick Valencia, CNN, 31 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for codefendant 

Word History

First Known Use

1641, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of codefendant was in 1641

Dictionary Entries Near codefendant

Cite this Entry

“Codefendant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/codefendant. Accessed 4 Dec. 2024.

Legal Definition

codefendant

noun
co·​de·​fen·​dant
ˌkō-di-ˈfen-dənt, -ˌdant
: a joint defendant

More from Merriam-Webster on codefendant

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!