Word
prosecutor
Phoneticspros·e·cu·tor, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈpɹɑsɪkˌjutɝ/
UK/pɹˈɒsɪkjˌuːtɐ/
Definitions
01government lawyer
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Law Formal
n. a lawyer who represents the government in a court of law to prove someone committed a crime.
n. a legal official who conducts criminal proceedings on behalf of the state or the public interest.
“The prosecutor presented new evidence to the jury during the trial.”
“The lead prosecutor argued that the defendant's financial records provided a clear motive for the alleged embezzlement.”
Usage
The noun is countable and often used with the definite article when referring to the lead official in a specific case.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02person starting a case
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Law Formal · Technical
n. the person or group that starts a legal case against someone else.
n. the party who institutes a criminal or civil proceeding; may refer to a private complainant in certain legal systems.
“In some legal systems, a private citizen can act as a prosecutor.”
“The court must determine if the private prosecutor has sufficient standing to bring these charges forward without state support.”
Usage
In modern common law, this more general sense is often replaced by 'complainant' or 'plaintiff' in civil contexts.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “prosecutor” in context.
Verb
01. appoint a prosecutor
“The attorney general decided to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the allegations of corruption.”
verb + noun
02. convince the prosecutor
“The defense attorney tried to convince the prosecutor to drop the charges due to a lack of evidence.”
verb + noun
03. prosecutors allege that
“Prosecutors allege that the defendant planned the robbery for several months before taking action.”
noun + verb
Adjective
04. federal prosecutor
“A federal prosecutor has been assigned to handle the interstate drug trafficking trial.”
adj + noun
05. lead prosecutor
“As the lead prosecutor on the case, she was responsible for the opening statement.”
adj + noun
06. tenacious prosecutor
“The tenacious prosecutor refused to let the witness avoid answering the difficult questions.”
adj + noun
Noun
07. discretion of the prosecutor
“The decision to seek the death penalty often lies within the sole discretion of the prosecutor.”
noun + of + noun
08. prosecutor's office
“The public defender sent the requested documents directly to the prosecutor's office.”
noun + noun
Real-World Examples
“His lawyers are preparing to meet federal prosecutors Friday for a potential plea agreement, according to reports in US media.” “Prosecutors allege those actions resulted in Thompson's death.” “In December, she resigned as the top federal prosecutor in New Jersey , after a court battle over her eligibility to serve as US attorney for the state.” “The letter, submitted by prosecutor James McDonald, stated: “The parties write jointly to request a conference with the Court.” Etymology
1590s, from Medieval Latin prosecutor, from prōsequor (English prosecute). By surface analysis, prosecute + -or.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
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 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/prosecutor