defendant

1 of 2

noun

de·​fen·​dant di-ˈfen-dənt 

in legal circles often

-ˌdant 

law

: a person or group against whom a criminal or civil action is brought : someone who is being sued or accused of committing a crime

if the jury finds the defendant not guilty

compare plaintiff

defendant

2 of 2

adjective

: being on the defensive : defending

Examples of defendant in a Sentence

Noun

The jury believed that the defendant was guilty.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The last idea is drawn from what some states do when a defendant dies after conviction but before sentencing. —Michael R. Sisak, TIME, 17 Dec. 2024

Trump's suits often demand extraordinary figures from the defendants. —Graham Kates, CBS News, 17 Dec. 2024

Adjective

Parker's co-defendant, 26-year-old George Jealvontia Henderson of West Memphis, was given immunity from the charges in exchange for cooperating with then-prosecutor Scott Ellington, who was the 2nd Judicial District elected prosecuting attorney at the time. —John Lynch, Arkansas Online, 18 Mar. 2023

The trial of Oath Keeper leader Stewart Rhodes and his associates late last year was a similarly complex, multi-defendant trial. —Quinn Owen, ABC News, 23 Feb. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English defendaunt, borrowed from Anglo-French defendant, diffendaunt, noun derivative from present participle of defendre "to defend"

Adjective

Middle English defendaunt, from Anglo-French defendant, present participle of defendre "to defend"

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing defendant

• co-defendant

Kids Definition

defendant

noun

de·​fend·​ant

di-ˈfen-dənt

: a person who is being sued or accused in a legal action

Legal Definition

defendant

noun

de·​fen·​dant di-ˈfen-dənt, -ˌdant 

: the party against whom a criminal or civil action is brought see also answer, codefendant compare accused, plaintiff