defendant
/dɪˈfɛndənt/
The party against whom a lawsuit is brought
defendant in a sentence
“The defendant denied all allegations and filed a counterclaim.”
Origin of defendant
From Latin defendere (to ward off, protect), from de- (from, away) + fendere (to strike)
Related Words
injunction
A court order requiring a party to do or refrain from doing something
fiduciary
A person legally obligated to act in another's best interest
arbitration
Resolution of a dispute by an impartial third party
indemnity
Security against legal liability for one's actions
estoppel
A legal principle preventing someone from arguing something contrary to a previous claim
malfeasance
Wrongdoing or misconduct, especially by a public official