defendant

1 of 2

noun

de·​fen·​dant di-ˈfen-dənt 

in legal circles often

-ˌdant 

law

: a person or group against whom a criminal or civil action is brought : someone who is being sued or accused of committing a crime

if the jury finds the defendant not guilty

compare plaintiff

defendant

2 of 2

adjective

: being on the defensive : defending

Examples of defendant in a Sentence

Noun

The jury believed that the defendant was guilty.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

For Microsoft, a co-defendant in the trial, the jury has to decide whether the company aided and abetted that breach. —ABC News, 14 May 2026

The racing circuit seeks a court order that would block the defendants from using NASCAR trademarks and selling counterfeit goods. —Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 14 May 2026

Adjective

Musk’s travel would only potentially be an issue if OpenAI, co-defendant Microsoft or the judge herself called Musk back to the stand Wednesday, which is scheduled to be the final day of evidence in the trial. —David Ingram, NBC news, 13 May 2026

That sentence was later commuted to 27 years, and then by a sixth in a Myanmar New Year amnesty on April 17 that freed her ally and co-defendant Win Myint, the former president. —CNN Money, 1 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English defendaunt, borrowed from Anglo-French defendant, diffendaunt, noun derivative from present participle of defendre "to defend"

Adjective

Middle English defendaunt, from Anglo-French defendant, present participle of defendre "to defend"

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing defendant

• co-defendant

Rhymes for defendant

• appendant
• ascendant
• attendant
• dependant
• dependent
• descendant
• descendent
• intendant
• resplendent
• transcendent
• codefendant
• independent

Kids Definition

defendant

noun

de·​fend·​ant

di-ˈfen-dənt

: a person who is being sued or accused in a legal action

Legal Definition

defendant

noun

de·​fen·​dant di-ˈfen-dənt, -ˌdant 

: the party against whom a criminal or civil action is brought see also answer, codefendant compare accused, plaintiff