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Definition of plaintiff

plaintiff

/ˈpleɪn.tɪf/
plain · tiff
Plural:plaintiffs
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plaintiff Lexical Profile

plaintiff Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A person or entity that brings a civil lawsuit against another in a court of law.

Example

"The judge ruled in favor of the plaintiff and awarded substantial damages for breach of contract."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for plaintiff
Antonyms
View all antonyms for plaintiff

Word Nuance & Usage

'Plaintiff' refers exclusively to the party bringing a civil lawsuit (in contrast to 'prosecutor' in criminal cases), and should not be confused with the related adjective 'plaintive' (meaning sounding sad or mournful).

• Rhymes for plaintiff

• Nearby Words

plains zebra
plainspoken
plainspokenness
plaintiff
plaintive
plaintively
plait

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in Middle English from Anglo-Norman 'plaintif', an adjective meaning 'complaining' or 'aggrieved', derived from Old French 'plaint' ('complaint, lament') and ultimately from Latin 'planctus' ('beating of the breast in grief').

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Plaintiff. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/plaintiff
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