plaintiff
n.the person who starts a lawsuit against someone else in a court of law.
n.the party that initiates a civil legal action against another party. Used in formal legal contexts; contrasted with the defendant.
“The plaintiff sued the company for damages.”
“The plaintiff presented evidence that the contract had been broken.”
“The plaintiff argued that the defendant's negligence directly caused the financial loss.”
“The success of these cases depends on the ability of the plaintiff to prove a violation of the law.”
“The plaintiffs say those moments matter because Trump often uses the platform to announce major developments , such as during the Iran war, that can move financial markets .”
From Middle English plaintif, from Anglo-Norman, from Old French plaintif (“complaining”; as a noun, “one who complains, a plaintiff”) from the verb plaindre. Doublet of plaintive.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.