# petitioner

/pəˈtɪʃənɝ/ (US) · /pətˈɪʃənɐ/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/petitioner
Updated: 2026-05-20

## Definition

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

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

## Examples

- The petitioner asked the court to change the law.
- After the hearing, the petitioner submitted a final brief to the judge to support their request for a new trial.
- 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 EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.