Definition

A person who starts a legal case against someone in court.

Example

The plaintiff presented strong evidence to support their claim.

Conversation

Did you hear about the case where the plaintiff won?

Yeah, it was all over the news last week!

I can't believe how much they were awarded; it’s quite a lot for a lawsuit.

Definitely! It shows how important it is for a plaintiff to have strong evidence.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Plaintiff → It is derived from the Old French word 'plaintif' (meaning one who complains) which comes from 'plaint' (meaning complaint) and the suffix '-if' (indicating a person). A plaintiff is a person who brings a complaint or lawsuit to court.

Memory Tip

Think of someone who is 'complaining' ('plaint') in a legal context — that's why a plaintiff is the person who brings a complaint to court.

Visually Confused Words