defendant
UK: dɪˈfɛndənt | US: dɪˈfɛndənt
n. a person or entity accused in a court of law
n. (archaic) one who defends against an attack
Derived from Old French defendant (present participle of defendre, "to defend"), which traces back to Latin defendere ("to ward off, protect"). The suffix -ant denotes an agent, forming a noun meaning "one who defends." Over time, the legal sense ("one accused in court") emerged from the idea of the accused "defending" themselves against charges.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The jury found the defendant innocent due to lack of evidence.
The defendant’s lawyer presented a strong alibi.
In medieval times, a defendant often faced trial by combat.
The judge reminded the defendant of their right to remain silent.