Words / C1

PLAYNT-if/ˈpleɪntɪf/

The plaintiff is the party that brings a civil case: the plaintiff sued, for the plaintiff. The defendant is the other side; a prosecutor (criminal) is a different system. Complainant is sometimes used in other hearings. Do not call a student complaint panel a plaintiff in Crown Court English.

Meaning

The person or organisation that brings a civil case to court.

Examples

• “The plaintiff is not the defendant; name both in the minute.”
• “Sue is the everyday verb (not always in this course’s list). Civil ≠ criminal. A claimant is used in some UK civil procedure. A campus complainant is not automatically a plaintiff. Jurisdiction still matters.”

Good to know

The party who sues (civil). Opposite role: defendant. Contrast: prosecutor (criminal). A campus complaint is not automatically a civil claim.

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