defendant
adjectivenouncommon in dialogue
- //dɪˈfɛnd.ənt//
Serving, or suitable, for defense; defensive, defending.
adjective
- 1
Serving, or suitable, for defense; defensive, defending.
Thus comes the English with full power upon us; And more than carefully it us concerns To answer royally in our defences. Therefore the Dukes of Berri and of Bretagne, Of Brabant and of Orleans, shall make forth, And you, Prince Dauphin, with all swift dispatch, To line and new repair our towns of war With men of courage and with means defendant;
Etymology
From Middle English defendaunt (“defending; defending in a suit”), borrowed from Old French defendant, present participle of defendre, from Latin dēfendere.
noun
- 1
In civil proceedings, the party responding to the complaint; one who is sued and called upon to make satisfaction for a wrong complained of by another.
404(b)—including a series of domestic abuse incidents defendant perpetrated against victim, a PFA against defendant by victim, and other third-party PFAs entered against defendant to protect other women—as well as evidence from[…]
- 2
In criminal proceedings, the accused.
Etymology
From Middle English defendaunt (“defendant in a suit; defender”), borrowed from Old French defendant, nominalisation of defendant; see above.
Forms
- plural
- defendants
- comparative
- more defendant
- superlative
- most defendant
defendant · Serving, or suitable, for defense; defensive, defending.
defended · Having defenses.defender · Someone who defends people or property.defending · An act of defence.