litigant
UK: ˈlɪtɪɡənt | US: ˈlɪtɪɡənt
n. a person involved in a lawsuit (either as plaintiff or defendant)
n. someone engaged in legal proceedings
litigant = liti<dispute> + gant<going>
- liti (from Latin litigare, "to dispute" < lis "lawsuit" + agere "to drive/act")
- gant (present participle suffix -ant, from Latin -antem, indicating "one who does")
Etymology Origin:
The word traces back to Latin litigare ("to dispute in court"), combining lis (lawsuit) and agere (to act). The suffix -ant marks the actor, giving "one who engages in a legal dispute." Over time, litigant narrowed to specifically denote parties in a lawsuit, reflecting its legal roots.
The litigant filed a complaint against the company for breach of contract.
Both litigants were ordered to appear in court next week.
As a litigant, she had the right to cross-examine witnesses.
The judge reminded the litigants to maintain decorum during the trial.
The lawyer advised the litigant to settle the case out of court.