What does litigant mean?
A litigant is a person or organization involved in a legal dispute as one of the parties. Unlike the more specific terms plaintiff and defendant, litigant can refer either to the person or institution bringing a lawsuit or to the one defending against it. The word is especially useful in legal and judicial writing, where a neutral term is needed to describe both sides or to refer generally to participants in litigation. It also covers organizations that bring or defend cases, although individual litigants are the most common users. In general discussion, however, parties to the case, plaintiffs, or defendants may sound more natural. Litigant is formal, precise, and less common in everyday speech than those alternatives.
nounA person or organization involved in a lawsuit as a party, either bringing the case or defending against it. The term is especially common in legal and judicial contexts.
- A person or organization involved in a lawsuit, either as the party bringing the case or the party defending against it.
"The court allowed the litigant to present additional evidence."
"The company was ordered to disclose documents to the litigant."
"The judge reminded each litigant of the rules governing courtroom conduct."
The plural is formed by adding -s and is used when referring to multiple parties involved in litigation.
"The court allowed the litigants to submit competing evidence."
A litigant is not necessarily the one doing the suing: the word can refer equally to the person filing a case and the one defending it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does litigant come from?
Litigant derives from Latin litigare, meaning “to dispute” or “to litigate.” The English form developed in legal usage from Latin litigant-, a participial stem referring to one who disputes or brings a lawsuit. The same root underlies litigate, litigation, litigator, and the related adjective litigious. Its use in English has remained especially associated with law and courts.
Related word forms
How litigant is actually used
This is primarily formal legal vocabulary, especially common in court proceedings, legal scholarship, and judicial reporting. In ordinary conversation, plaintiff, defendant, or party is often more natural, depending on the litigant's role.
Easily confused with litigant
A litigator is generally someone who brings or conducts a lawsuit, whereas a litigant can be either the person bringing the case or the person defending against it.
Litigate is a verb meaning to bring or conduct legal proceedings, while litigant is a noun naming a person or organization involved in those proceedings.