plaintiff

noun

plain·tiff ˈplān-təf

Synonyms of plaintiff

: a person who brings a legal action compare defendant

Did you know?

We won't complain about the origins of plaintiff, although complain and plaintiff are distantly related; both can be traced back to plangere, a Latin word meaning "to strike, beat one's breast, or lament." Plaintiff comes most immediately from Middle English plaintif, itself an Anglo-French borrowing tracing back to plaint, meaning "lamentation." (The English word plaintive is also related.) Logically enough, plaintiff applies to the one who does the complaining in a legal case.

Examples of plaintiff in a Sentence

the judge ruled that the plaintiff's lawsuit was groundless, and he dismissed it

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Honestly, this could delay and extend litigation, because many plaintiffs’ attorneys will still need this data and the company will have to compile it for discovery. — Janice Gassam Asare, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026 A number of notable names in college basketball filed lawsuits against the NCAA, which included a suit that involved more than 50 different plaintiffs filed on Friday. — Trey Wallace Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 Aug. 2026 Washington, who played last season at Vanderbilt, was the lead plaintiff in the complaint filed July 6 by the Texas Trial Group seeking the injunction. — Teresa M. Walker, Chicago Tribune, 1 Aug. 2026 As members of the House settlement, the 12 plaintiffs released claims against the NCAA. — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 1 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for plaintiff

Word History

Etymology

Middle English plaintif, from Anglo-French, from pleintif, adjective

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of plaintiff was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century

Browse Nearby Words

plaintful

plaintiff

plain tire

See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

Style

“Plaintiff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plaintiff. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

plaintiff

noun

plain·tiff ˈplānt-əf

: the complaining party in a lawsuit

Legal Definition

plaintiff

noun

plain·tiff ˈplān-təf

: the party who institutes a legal action or claim (as a counterclaim) see also complainant, complaint, libellant compare defendant, prosecution

Etymology

Middle French plaintif, from plaintif, adj., grieving, from plaint lamentation, from Latin planctus, from plangere to strike, beat one's breast, lament

plaintiff

noun

Did you know?

Synonyms of plaintiff

Examples of plaintiff in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

Legal Definition

More from Merriam-Webster on plaintiff

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

colloquial

Popular in Grammar & Usage

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Games & Quizzes