prosecutor

noun

pros·​e·​cu·​tor ˈprä-si-ˌkyü-tər 

1

: a person who institutes a prosecution before a court

2

: prosecuting attorney

Examples of prosecutor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Relatively unscathed so far has been Larry Krasner, the former public defender elected to the DA’s office in Philadelphia in 2017 and the only progressive prosecutor of the group to have a gripping, prestige-TV docuseries made about him. —Yiyun Li, Harper's Magazine, 23 Oct. 2024

Hines, a Democrat, is challenging Lucido, a Republican, for prosecutor in the November election. —Christina Hall, Detroit Free Press, 23 Oct. 2024

Nearly a year later, federal prosecutors brought a case against Jeffries. —Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2024

In January 2021, the federal prosecutors and Boeing reached an agreement to settle criminal charges and defer any prosecution on the matter. —Chris Isidore, CNN, 11 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

prosecutor

noun

pros·​e·​cu·​tor ˈpräs-i-ˌkyüt-ər 

: a person (as a district attorney) who prosecutes especially a criminal case as lawyer for the state

Legal Definition

prosecutor

noun

pros·​e·​cu·​tor ˈprä-si-ˌkyü-tər 

1

: a person who institutes a prosecution (as by making an affidavit or complaint charging the defendant)

2

: a government attorney who presents the state's case against the defendant in a criminal prosecution