petitioner
UK: pəˈtɪʃənə | US: pəˈtɪʃənər
n. a person who presents a formal written request or plea to an authority
n. (legal) a party who files a petition in a court of law
The word "petitioner" stems from the Latin petitio (a request or demand), derived from petere (to seek, attack). The suffix "-er" (from Old English -ere) denotes an agent performing an action. Thus, a "petitioner" is literally "one who makes a formal request," reflecting its legal and administrative usage. The root "petition" entered English via Old French, retaining its core meaning of a written appeal.
The petitioner submitted a formal complaint to the city council.
As the petitioner in the case, she awaited the judge’s response.
Hundreds of petitioners gathered outside parliament demanding reform.
The court reviewed the petitioner’s evidence before scheduling a hearing.
He acted as the petitioner for the group’s grievance against the company.