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We won't complain about the origins of plaintiff, although complain and plaintiff are distantly related; both can be traced back to plangere, a Latin word meaning "to strike, beat one's breast, or lament." Plaintiff comes most immediately from Middle English plaintif, itself an Anglo-French borrowing tracing back to plaint, meaning "lamentation." (The English word plaintive is also related.) Logically enough, plaintiff applies to the one who does the complaining in a legal case.
Examples of plaintiff in a Sentence
Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025
With the Fourth Circuit ruling, the plaintiffs’ next available move would be to petition to have their appeal heard by the Supreme Court.
—Zack Huffman, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025
Amid a changing Second Amendment legal landscape, the plaintiffs’ lawsuit has been winding through the courts since it was first brought in 2016.
—Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 13 Jan. 2025
The plaintiff’s attorney said the employee agreement offered favorable terms about commission and benefits.
—Rosalio Ahumada, Sacramento Bee, 10 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for plaintiff 
Dictionary Entries Near plaintiff
Cite this Entry
“Plaintiff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plaintiff. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
plaintiff
noun
Legal Definition
plaintiff
noun
Middle French plaintif, from plaintif, adj., grieving, from plaint lamentation, from Latin planctus, from plangere to strike, beat one's breast, lament
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