English Reference
Noun

petitioner

n.
C1 Advanced US /pəˈtɪʃənɝ/ UK /pətˈɪʃənɐ/ pe·ti·tion·er UK spelling petitioners Law

n.a person who asks a court or a government to make a formal decision or change a law.

n.a person who formally requests a court or government body to perform an action or grant a right.


SIMPLE

The petitioner asked the court to change the law.

CONTEXTUAL

After the hearing, the petitioner submitted a final brief to the judge to support their request for a new trial.

COMPLEX

In many legal systems, the petitioner must demonstrate a clear and present interest in the matter before the court will consider their application for a writ of habeas corpus.


From petition + -er. Doublet of petitionary.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Occasional
Updated