defendant

Meaning

Adj

Serving, or suitable, for defense; defensive, defending.

Noun

1. In civil proceedings, the party responding to the complaint; one who is sued and called upon to make satisfaction for a wrong complained of by another.
2. In criminal proceedings, the accused.

Synonyms

accused

respondent

suspect

the accused

appellant

prisoner at the bar

litigant

defence

defense

opponent

opposite party

person

🧑‍🦱

plaintiff

prisoner

responder

indictee

dft

def.

respondent accuse

answerer

answering machine

charged

client

contestant

correspondent

Translations

accusé

acusado

Angeklagter

Angeklagte

Beklagter

beschuldigde

reus

imputato

aangeklaagde

inculpé

défendeur

κατηγορούμενος

accusato

acusat

εναγόμενος

Pronounced as (IPA)

/dɪˈfɛnd.ənt/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: defendaunt

In summary

From Middle English defendaunt (“defending; defending in a suit”), borrowed from Old French defendant, present participle of defendre, from Latin dēfendere.