lawsuit
UK: ˈlɔːsuːt | US: ˈlɔːsuːt
n. a legal action or proceeding brought in a court of law to enforce a right or seek a remedy
The word "lawsuit" combines "law," derived from Old English lagu (meaning "rule or ordinance"), and "suit," from Old French suite (meaning "pursuit" or "legal action"). The term emerged in Middle English (14th century) to describe the act of pursuing justice through formal legal proceedings. The morphemes reflect the core concept: invoking the "law" to "suit" (pursue) a claim.
The company filed a lawsuit against its competitor for patent infringement.
She won the lawsuit and received compensation for damages.
A lengthy lawsuit can be financially draining for both parties.
The environmental group threatened a lawsuit to stop the construction project.
He settled the lawsuit out of court to avoid negative publicity.