Word
plaintiff
Phoneticsplain·tiff, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈpɫeɪnəf/
UK/plˈeɪntɪf/
Countable noun
Definition
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.
Examples
“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.”
Examples
simple
“The plaintiff sued the company for damages.”
contextual
“The plaintiff presented evidence that the contract had been broken.”
complex
“The plaintiff argued that the defendant's negligence directly caused the financial loss.”
Real-World Examples
“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 .” “The plaintiffs include children as young as 4 years old .” Etymology
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.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/plaintiff